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.♦ 


LIN WOOD HALI 





A WEE LASSIE; 

OR, 

A Unique Republic. 


BY 

Mrs. MAY ANDERSON HAWKINS, 

n 

Author of “ Only a Scotch Laddie,” “The Claymore Estate,” “A Face 
and a Life,” u Philip Barton’s Secret,” “Jack Payton 
and His Friends,” and Other Stories. 



RICHMOND, VA.: 

Presbyterian Committee of Publication. 



the LIBRARY of 
CONGRESS, 
Two Cowes Received 

iUL. If 1902 

Copyright entry 
C CLASS ^XXa No. 

3 7 2 - 7 ^ 

COPY B. 


: 





Copyrighted 

by 

JAS. K. HAZEN, Secretary of Publication , 

? • • * » ' n * 

:/ 1902 . 



PRINTED BY 

WHITTET & Shepperson, 
Kichmond, Va. 




TO 

flDtss Julia 5. Untwiler, 

Of Livingston, Alabama, 
and 

flDrs. (Seneral Johnson, 

Of Birmingham, Alabama, 

To whom the State of Alabama owes a lasting debt 

OF GRATITUDE BECAUSE OF THEIR UNTIRING DEVO- 
TION TO THE CAUSE OF THE UNFORTUNATE 
AND DEPENDENT CLASSES AMONG 
HER CITIZENS, 

THIS VOLUME 

IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BY 


The Author. 


































V 

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4 








♦ 





























































































i 










PREFACE. 


Veky many of the incidents in this book are 
real facts; and many of the characters are 
drawn from real life. 

Nancy Weldon depicts a woman whom the 
author has known a number of years, whose 
original and unique mode of expressing herself 
has been a delight to many others besides the 
writer. 

Agnes Hudson and her parents, as well as 
Mabel Hildegarde, have their counterparts in 
lives also well known, while the debased char- 
acter and wonderful conversion of “Old Blue” 
are living facts. The picture of the convict 
camp is true to life, although inadequately 
painted, as the author has toned down some of 
the facts as being too harrowing to place before 
the readers of this volume. 


6 Preface . 

It is true that few among us realize how “the 
other half live,” and fewer still who seem to 
care. If this simple book can be used of God to 
deepen the interest of some of his children in 
the neglected boys in our midst, as well as to 
paint the need of more efficient Christian work 
among the convicts, those moral lepers banished 
outside the social camp, the writer will feel 
amply repaid for her labor. 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

CHAPTER I. 

At Linwood, 9 

CHAPTER II. 

An Old Friend, 17 

CHAPTER III. 

A Close Call, 27 

CHAPTER IV. 

A Point Settled, 34 

CHAPTER V. 

A Last Ride, 44 

CHAPTER VI. 

A Jewel and Its Setting, 5G 

CHAPTER VII. 

A Wee Lassie’s Outing, G3 

CHAPTER VIII. 

A Happy Day Ended, G9 

CHAPTER IX. 

Nita’s Kinsfolk, 77 

CHAPTER X. 

Going Home, 83 

CHAPTER XI. 

A Crisis, 89 

CHAPTER XII. 

A Lovely Plan, 98 

CHAPTER XIII. 

An Unexpected Gift, 10G 


8 


Contents , 


CHAPTER XIV. page. 

Nancy’s New Possession, 114 

CHAPTER XV. 

A Red Letter Day, 121 

CHAPTER XVI. 

A Charmed Life, 133 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Midnight Shadows, 145 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

The Morning Breaks, 158 

CHAPTER XIX. 

Blue’s Testimony, 168 

CHAPTER XX. 

What’s in a Name, 181 

CHAPTER XXI. 

Nary Chance, 192 

CHAPTER XXII. 

A Miniature Republic, 203 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

An Eagle’s Nest, . *. 214 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

Advancing, 227 

CHAPTER XXV. 

Comrades, 235 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

Danger, 247 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

Some Breathless Moments, 258 

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

A Parting Glance, 268 


A WEE LASSIE 


CHAPTER I. 

At Linwood. 

LEHH IIILDEGARDE smiled into his 
Vj sister’s face as he said: “Your heart is 
truer than your head. The mist of skepticism 
which dims your mental vision does not reach 
below the intellect. Your heart accepts the truth 
as spontaneously as does mine.” 

Glenn was twenty-nine and Mabel nineteen. 
They were orphans, and the sister, who had 
resided as a student in a northern college for 
the past four years, had been at Linwood only a 
few days. 

Glenn was a bachelor, and Linwood was a 
magnificent estate lying among the hills of 
northern Alabama. 

He had but recently become possessed of this 
property through the death of an uncle, who, 
being a widower and childless, had bequeathed 
all his wealth to this favorite nephew. 


10 


A Wee Lassie . 


Tlie brother and sister were alone in the 
world, and Glenn’s present thought was how 
best to help this fair sister, whose home was now 
beneath his roof, out of the mists of skepticism 
which had gathered about her during her college 
life. i 

“If I could see one single death, such as we 
read about, where the soul recognizes the holy 
presence of spiritual beings, as it passes from 
our ken, the faith of my childhood might be 
restored,” Mabel said, in response to her 
brother’s words. 

“Like Thomas, your faith must rest on sight 
before you will believe ; and this is not faith at 
all.” i 

As he spoke Glenn looked earnestly into his 
sister’s troubled eyes, and a half sigh escaped 
him. 

“Mamma was a Christian, yet she died with- 
out giving us any token whatever to assure us 
that her faith was not in vain.” 

“But she was in a stupor, dear, for hours 
before she passed away. Her last conscious 
words were an exhortation for us to meet her in 
heaven. This did not look as though her faith 
grew dim as she neared the parting of the ways.” 

Mabel made no response, and Glenn con- 
tinued : “The Word of God alone should be 


A Wee Lassie . 


11 


sufficient for your faith to rest upon. How did 
you ever drift from the simple belief of your 
girlhood ? How well I remember your joy when 
you first met the Crucified One. His love was 
real to you then ; why cannot you trust him 
now ?” 

“Oh ! I would give everything I possess if I 
could believe now as I did then,” the girl an- 
swered. Then she added: “I think it was 
seeing the hollowness of those about me 
who professed to be Christians, after mamma 
died and I left home, that first unsettled 
me ; and the churches where I attended 
seemed so like the world; no one was ever 
saved there, as they used to he at home, so 
that I began, after awhile, to think the whole 
thing was a big sham ; and now — well — now — I 
do not know where I stand. Spiritual things 
have grown unreal to me, and when I try to read 
my Bible something in my heart seems to 
whisper, ‘It’s all a lie ; have a good time while 
you can. Eat and drink, dress and dance, for 
to-morrow you die.’ ” 

“Poor little girlie ! The old serpent is making 
a huge bid for your soul, and no mistake; but 
the Captain of our salvation is too strong for 
him. Trusting in him, I can shout the victory, 
even now, while you are still in the woods,” and 


12 


A Wee Lassie. 


as he spoke Glenn waved liis hand above his head 
and cried, in a jubilant voice, “Victory ! victory ! 
victory ! in the name of Christ our King.” 

A relieved laugh broke from his sister’s lips. 

“I feel lots better,” she said, and then turned 
to look about her. Woman-like, she wondered if 
any one had heard Glenn’s words. They were 
standing in a rustic pavillion on the Linwood 
grounds, and the open highway was not far 
distant. A solitary horseman was just passing. 
“Suppose,” she murmured, “yonder rider heard 
your shout. How strange he would think it !” 

“Would he ? Well, he is welcome to think 
what he chooses. Let me tell you one thing, 
Mabel, that may help you in the days to come. 
1 don’t believe in covering up my religion. It’s 
the biggest thing I have got, and I can’t smother 
it, or smooth it down. When the Holy Ghost 
got hold of me, he didn’t mince matters one bit. 
He just went to the bottom of my heart ; turned 
it inside out, and showed exactly how black and 
filthy it was, until I felt in my deepest soul that 
hell was too good for me. And then, when I was 
ready to despair, our holy Christ came. He 
blotted out my black sin; breathed his love 
through my polluted soul until I thought heaven 
had opened for me. I have been praising him 
ever since.” 


A Wee Lassie . 


13 


It was good to look into Glenn Hildegarde’s 
eyes as he thus spoke. 

Mabel looked, listened, opened her lips twice 
to speak before she said: “I just begin, I think, 
to understand you. I felt you were changed, 
but I did not know why. I thought our four 
years’ separation had wrought it. Now I see 
the truth.” 

Glenn laughed. “Yes, I’m a different fellow 
from the one you kissed good-bye when you 
entered college. I was a rebel then ; now I am 
a loyal soldier under the banner of our glorious 
King, and all I seem to care for is to know and 
execute his orders. I’m but a slow, stupid fellow 
in learning his will ; but he is so patient that I 
never grow discouraged. Do you know,” and 
he ran his eyes over the beautiful grounds, hand- 
some buildings and broad acres of his estate, and 
slowly repeated : “Do you know, I am wondering 
and asking him every day why he gave me this 
magnificent property, and what he expects me 
to do with it.” 

His sister looked the surprise she felt. 

“Why, he expects you to enjoy it, of course.” 

“Of course. But I want to enjoy it in the 
way that will best please him.” 

“And that will be — ?” Mabel paused, doubt- 
fully. 


14 


A Wee Lassie . 


“In brightening as many sad lives as possible, 
and introducing as many poor fellows to my 
Captain as will meet him. I used to think, when 
I was abroad, that I would come home and 
settle down to literature, and make myself a 
name. How I seem only to care about extending 
the knowledge of his name, wherever I go, for it 
is about the only one in the universe that is 
worth knowing. Dante, Goethe, Plato, Homer, 
Shakespeare, and all the others that I used to 
rave over, seem to me, now, as nothing.” 

“And yet a knowledge of them, and of their 
works, is certainly essential to a polite educa- 
tion,” Mabel objected, as she turned impatiently 
toward the house. Then she added, with a back- 
ward glance: “I am half afraid, from your 
words, that you have ‘gone cranky, 5 as the girls 
say in college, on religion. I hope not, for I 
have counted on having a cheery comrade at 
Linwood, and not a moping, sky-gazing re- 
ligieux ” 

Such a ringing laugh greeted these words that 
she smiled in spite of her momentary vexation. 
Glenn came up beside her, and his happy eyes 
scanned her face indulgently, as he said: “For- 
give me for talking to you so freely before we 
have had time to get acquainted. Your presence 
here is such a delight to me that I have allowed 



‘‘ Jf only she could have been spared to us . ” 


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A Wee Lassie . 


15 


my heart to run away with my head. Do not 
feel nervous over my religion. It is exactly the 
kind our mother had, and you know what a wise, 
cheery, sympathetic comrade she always was 
to us. It was her religion, as I now see it, that 
made of her the woman she was, sound, sweet, 
and wholesome to the core.” 

“If only she could have been spared to us,” 
Mabel responded with misty eyes, “what a dif- 
ferent girl I might have been.” 

“Our Father knew best, dear; and do not 
forget that it is the sapling that stands apart 
from its fellows, in the middle of the open 
meadow, that grows into the strong, wide- 
spreading tree. Look,” and Glenn pointed to 
a thrifty hickory that stood in a sunny, un- 
sheltered space to the right of them ; “there is 
an illustration of mv thought. See how that 
tree is branching out and spreading itself, and 
giving promise of becoming a splended specimen 
of its kind. Compare it with this one, here in 
the grove, surrounded by other trees, and note 
the difference.” 

Mabel examined the two hickories with lively 
interest, and after a moment said: “I see. One 
is slim, and tall, and fragile-looking, and I can 
readily believe that a heavy wind might blow it 


16 


A Wee Lassie . 


over or snap it off, unless the other trees should 
break the force of the tempest.” 

She paused, and Glenn smiled as he said: 
“Exactly; and the other looks as if the same 
wind would only retire, baffled, from an attack 
made with the intention of overthrowing it. Its 
roots reach out in all directions, and it is so 
perfectly formed, has developed so symmetri- 
cally, that it offers the best possible resistance 
to the storm. This is because all of its fellows 
were removed when it was but a sapling, and it 
has gradually become innured to the storms, 
nature throwing her safeguards around it, as 
needed, in the form of wide-reaching roots, a 
sturdy trunk, and evenly apportioned branches.” 

It was with thoughtful eyes, but smiling lips, 
that Mabel turned and remarked, after a brief 
interval of silence : “Thank you for your lesson. 
It has helped me.” 

She slipped her slender fingers into his strong 
clasp, and hand in hand, like two children, they 
strolled toward the house. 


CHAPTER II. 


An Old Friend. 

rp HE days and weeks flitted by until ten 
-L months had passed since Mabel Hilde- 
garde became a resident of Linwood. 

These had proven the happiest hours she had 
known since childhood. The fond affection she 
had always borne her brother had now ripened 
into an intense devotion, mingled with admira- 
tion, which left Glenn little to desire in the way 
of human love and companionship. 

Friends came and went at will, and while the 
brother and sister enjoyed their visits, their 
deepest happiness was found when alone to- 
gether. Each was an interesting study to the 
other, for they were very unlike in person as well 
as character, Mabel being like her mother, while 
Glenn was a typical Hildegarde. 

One morning at the early breakfast — for 
Glenn never wasted the precious morning hours 
in bed — he laid an open letter beside his sister’s 
plate. 

“Read it,” he said, “and then tell me if you 
are pleased.” 

2 


18 


A Wee Lassie. 


She at once began its perusal, and as she ended 
the last of the closely written pages, she lifted 
a face on which a smile and a frown fought for 
possession. 

“The letter is charming. Mr. Keith must be 
all that you have described him. But two whole 
weeks is a long time to give to his entertain- 
ment.” 

Glenn laughed. “When once you know Keith 
you will think differently. He and I were to- 
gether for three years, day and night, and his 
presence was never once an interruption, not 
even to my thoughts. He is a rare combination.” 

“I dislike paragons,” Mabel responded, a 
quick throb of jealousy stabbing her heart. 
“But, of course,” she added, hastily, “I am very 
glad, for your sake, he is coming.” 

Two evenings later the expected guest arrived. 
As Mabel scanned his rather tall, slender figure, 
and marked the deep thoughtfulness of his eyes, 
she was guilty of a grimace behind her fan. 
Glenn was of magnificent proportions, 'like his 
estate, and his happy eyes, beaming face, and 
buoyant manner had become his sister’s ideal of 
manly perfection. 

Before dinner ended, however, she found their 
guest possessed a quiet power of engaging and 
holding her attention that quite surprised her. 


A We'e Lassie . 


19 


So marked was this that, when the meal was over 
and the three were alone in the drawing-room, a 
feeling that she had long known and liked Kelso 
Keith began to steal over her. 

This strange and unwelcome thought irri- 
tated her, and she was contemplating an early 
escape to the piazza, when her brother laid his 
hand on their guest’s shoulder, saying : “How is 
it I see you wearing such a striking pin ? I 
thought you cast all such vain adornments aside 
that winter we were in Rome ?” 

His friend smiled into Glenn’s face, and 
Mabel noted a joyousness in his eyes which had 
not before been visible. 

“This pin has a story connected with it. It 
has only adorned my person for the past several 
hours. A young man on the train, just as I 
reached your station, placed it where you now, 
see it. Had it not attracted your attention to- 
night, you might have missed the story, as I 
shall never again wear it. Hotice the de- 
sign.” 

Glenn studied it for a moment before he 
spoke. 

“A unique one, truly. What is the thought ?” 

“The pin is made from the fangs of a rattle- 
snake. The design is intended to convey the 
thought that the wearer has chosen the arch- 


20 


A Wee Lassie . 


fiend, under the guise of a serpent, as his boon 
companion; and that no more evil or danger 
will result from such association than is found 
in these empty and harmless fangs.” 

Mabel gave a slight shiver, noticing which 
their guest remarked: “A gruesome thought, 
indeed, and a fatal one, if acted upon. I am 
sure the young man now understands this.” 

“Sit down, Keith, and tell us the whole story,” 
and Glenn wheeled an easy chair in front of his 
sister’s, for his friend, and himself took a seat by 
her side. 

“There is not much to tell. The coach from 
Nashville was crowded, so I shared my seat 
with a young fellow whose manly face and bear- 
ing at once engaged my interest. I found, on 
entering into conversation with him, that he was 
leading a reckless, dare-devil sort of life, sum- 
med up, as he was pleased to tell me, in the idea 
he had taken pains to have crystallized in this 
pin. 

“I found he had drifted into his reckless be- 
lief and life more because of his surroundings 
than from any especially evil bias in his nature. 
F atherless from infancy, and with a mother who 
is a leader in fashionable society in one of our 
Northern cities, the young fellow has never 
known a real home. He told me one of his 


A Wee Lassie . 


21 


earliest remembrances was his mother having 
taught him to drink toasts with becoming grace 
at private banquets, and then recite witty epi- 
grams to please her guests.” 

“Poor little chap. ISTot much hope for his 
future with such a mother as that,” Glenn re- 
marked, as his friend paused. “But go on; I 
am deeply interested, and am wondering how 
the young fellow came to give you his pin.” 

“There is little more to tell. Our Father 
filled me with such a burning desire to help the 
youth that, before I knew it, he was quite melted 
under the 'story of divine love. I doubt if he 
ever before had had a real heart-to-heart talk 
with any one who had really met Jesus Christ as 
a personal Saviour and Friend. Before I left 
him lie solemnly promised to change his course 
of life. He also engaged to read a chapter daily 
from a Hew Testament I gave him. I offered 
him a package of seven very precious and spir- 
itual letters, which I always carry with me, 
in printed form, written by a personal friend of 
mine. He accepted them with seeming glad- 
ness, and promised to read them carefully, and 
then, if he felt he could keep the promise that 
goes with it, he would send for one of these 
pins.” 

As he spoke Keith drew a tiny box from his 


22 


A Wee Lassie . 


vest pocket, and opening it, disclosed several 
dainty pins made from polished silver, lying in 
its depths. 

“And what are these ?” Glenn inquired, curi- 
ously examining the one his friend reached him. 
Before he could reply Mabel exclaimed: “I 
know. Several of the girls in college wore them. 
It’s the pin the Christian Endeavorers wear. 
Nettie Kingston, who was my room-mate, was 
very enthusiastic over hers. Said it and the 
pledge she had taken when she joined the society 
helped her lead a Christian life as nothing else 
ever before had done. She tried to get me to 
subscribe to the pledge and send for one of the 
pins. I declined, but she induced many of the 
other girls to do so.” 

Keith smiled into the earnest eyes upraised 
to his, and gently inquired : “And why did you 
not ?” 

Mabel’s brow clouded as she answered : “I was 
sure it would not help me ; I needed something 
more practical and farther-reaching than pins 
or an empty pledge could be.” 

“Yet, that these are often used of God to 
reach the deepest depths of hungry human na- 
ture, there can be no doubt,” was the quiet 
response. “My friend on the train, Wallace 
Dupont by name, is, I doubt not, reading one of 


A W ee Lassie . 


23 


those Christian Endeavor letters to-night. And 
I have faith to believe that this fact, and the 
desire the reading of it will arouse in his breast 
to have the loving Christ it tells about as his 
personal Eriend and Saviour, will, under the 
jx>wer of God’s Spirit, be the means of his sal- 
vation. He has already solemnly renounced his 
former carefully marked out belief, and as evi- 
dence of this fact he fastened this pin on my 
coat just as I left the cars.” 

“And do you carry these pins and packages 
of letters about with you wherever you go?” 
Glenn inquired, with an earnest glance into his 
friend’s eyes. 

“I do,” was the answer. “The Bible says 
we are to sow beside all waters, not knowing 
which will prosper, this or that.” 

“I see. A pocket Testament, a package of 
letters, a Christian Endeavor pin and a pledge 
are your equipments for the King’s service. Hot 
a half-bad idea,” was Glenn’s rejoinder. 

“It takes more than you have mentioned to 
make the equipment complete and effective,” 
Mabel remarked, thoughtfully. “I might have 
all these, yet I am sure I should accomplish 
nothing.” 

“Yes, I see your thought. A heart full of 
love and burning zeal for souls is an indispensa- 


24 


A Wee Lassie . 


ble qualification/ 5 her brother rejoined, with a 
quick glance into her clouded face. 

“And how is one who is tempted to doubt the 
reality of all spiritual things, of all religious 
experience, ever to obtain this qualification ?” 
Mabel spoke passionately, and hastily withdrew 
from the room before an answer could be 
given. 

Keith looked questioningly into his friend’s 
eyes as the door closed behind her straight, lithe 
figure. 

“Only a little mist of skepticism which 
clouded her mind while in college, because of the 
hollowness of the life of those about her who 
professed to be the followers of the meek and 
lowly Jesus. Her heart is truer than her head, 
and her deliverance is certain,” Glenn remarked, 
with a smile. 

“Aye, no doubt, with your faith to hold on 
for deliverance. But what of those who are 
being turned out of the way, all about us, because 
of the worldly lives and empty profession of 
those who pose as disciples of the lowly Kaza- 
rine ? Many of them have no believing friend 
to take hold of God for them, and their down- 
ward drift is rapid. An awful responsibility 
rests at the door of the worldly church of to-day. 
Sometimes my soul grows sick as I watch its 


A Wee Lassie . 


25 


trend/’ was Keith’s response, as he arose and 
walked to the open window. 

An earnest conversation between the two 
friends followed, which was continued until the 
midnight hour warned them it was time to seek 
needed repose. 

In the privacy of his own room Keith seated 
himself close to the window, and after a thought- 
ful survey of the beautiful grounds surrounding 
the mansion, which were brought into distinct 
view by the moonlight that flooded hill and 
dale with its silvery sheen, he drew a small 
Bible from his pocket and carefully turned to 
a certain chapter. After selecting a special verse 
he arose, placed his right hand on the open page, 
and, with his eyes closed, said aloud, in the tone 
one would use if addressing a personal friend 
close to one’s side: “Father, I claim the fulfil- 
ment of this promise. Glenn has joined me, 
and together we have asked for the soul of 
Wallace Dupont. In these verses our Lord 
Jesus says: ‘Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth 
shall be bound in heaven. And whatsoever ye 
shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 
And if two of you shall agree on earth touching 
anything they shall ask, it shall be done for them 
of my Father which is in heaven.’ 

“Father, we will never turn this young man 


26 


A Wee Lassie . 


loose. We, to-night, have bound him to thy 
throne by our prayers and our faith, and I do 
now more than ask, I claim the speedy fulfil- 
ment of this promise, which is sprinkled with 
the blood of Jesus, thine only begotten and well- 
beloved Son, and our Lord, in his behalf. 

“I thank thee for the promise, and I thank 
thee for the faith thou dost give me to hold 
fast to it and to thee for this young man’s de- 
liverance from the powers of darkness which 
now surround him. 

“Send thy Holy Spirit to him this very night, 
Father, and never let him rest until he is a saved 
soul. I ask this in the precious name of Jesus. 
Amen !” 

A few moments later Kelso Keith was soundly 
sleeping. A peaceful smile hovered around his 
lips, and in his sleep he murmured the name of 
the One he loved so deeply — “Jesus !” 


CHAPTER III. 


A Close Call. 

W HAT a superb view. I did not fancy 
any such were to be found in this 
vicinity. This is equal to some of the gems 
among the Catskills / 5 Keith remarked, as he 
and Glenn paused, with guns at rest, on the crest 
of a rocky ledge overlooking a picturesque 
ravine, and further on, a peaceful valley dotted 
with farm houses. 

They were out on a hunting trip, but had as 
yet found nothing “worth bagging / 5 as Glenn 
expressed it. He met his friend 5 s words of 
pleased surprise with the rejoinder: “Which 
shows how much you yet have to learn about 
northern Alabama. This outlook — and there 
are others around Linwood — is equal to any 
found among the mountains of Tennessee . 55 

There was a moment’s silence in which each 
drank in the beauty of the scene before them. 
Then Glenn, with a low “hist ! 55 brought his gun 
into position to fire. His alert eye had spied a 
large bird, which he supposed was an eagle, 


28 


A Wee Lassie . 


on the topmost bough of an immense tree below 
them. 

“No doubt that is the very fellow that has been 
making such heavy raids among our Plymouth 
Rocks,” was the thought that caused him to take 
steady aim. “There’s a nest in the top of that 
old oak, and if I have luck I may bring down 
a pair of the marauders, and afterwards capture 
their young.” 

Just as he tired, the bird arose in the air, and 
as the echoes reverberated among the rocky 
ledges and boulders of the “mountains,” as the 
highlands of northern Alabama are called, his 
startled mate joined him. With an exclamation 
of impatience Glenn fired again, and then sprang 
hastily to a rock several feet below the one on 
which he had been standing, hoping thus to get 
a better aim. 

Unfortunately this boulder was insecurely 
imbedded in the mountain side, and as the young 
man’s heavy weight pressed it, it was torn from 
its position and went crashing down to the gorge 
below. Glenn went with it, and for a moment it 
seemed that his span of life was run. The rocks 
beneath were some two hundred feet from the 
point to which he had sprung, and the fall was 
almost a perpendicular one. 

But Glenn, who had the nerve and training of 


A Wee Lassie . 


29 


an athlete, kept his presence of mind, and 
swiftly caught the low-hanging boughs of a 
hardy tree that leaned far over the ravine, the 
roots of which were firmly fastened among the 
boulders of a narrow ledge just above the point 
whence the young man fell. 

For two breathless seconds, as Keith watched, 
it seemed that the bough might not sustain 
Glenn’s weight. The suspense, however, was 
only momentary, and in less time than it has 
taken .to narrate the incident, he was safely 
ensconced among the thick boughs of the tree, 
close to the sturdy trunk, cheerily saying to his 
friend : “A close call, that. But I am all right, 
now, except the loss of my gun. Ko doubt I can 
get that by climbing down into the ravine.” 

“And also the eagle, for I believe your last 
shot brought him down,” was Keith’s relieved 
rejoinder. 

It did not take Glenn many moments to reach 
the rock on which his friend stood. He was un- 
harmed, with the exception of a scratch across 
one wrist. 

“I thought, for a moment, you were booked 
for eternity,” Keith remarked, as they turned 
to the path — with which Glenn was familiar — 
which led to the gorge below. 

“I had the same idea, and I confess it startled 


30 


A Wee Lassie . 


me. I thought I was ready to go whenever 
the ckll came, but that moment undeceived 
me.” 

He stopped, as he spoke, and faced his friend, 
adding: “I am shocked to know that I was 
actually afraid to die. Like Paul, I had 
fancied, until that moment, that death would be 
gain, for would I not be forever with my Cap- 
tain ? I know I love him ; that I would be 
willing to be burned at the stake for his sake, if 
he should ask this. Then why did that awful 
shrinking come over me as I seemed to face 
eternity ?” 

“I think, possibly, I can answer you,” w T as 
Tveith’s reply, given in a lower tone than usual ; 
“for I had much the same experience some two 
years ago; and I found later on that, while I 
loved my Lord passionately, I was not just where 
he wanted me to be, nor was I where I could 
stand, unabashed, in his white presence.” 

Glenn’s eyes asked the question his lips did 
not frame, and his friend continued : “I had not 
been where Paul went when God fully revealed 
to him his mission to the Gentiles. He went 
‘into Arabia, not conferring with flesh and 
blood,’ and there Christ was revealed to him— 
as I have learned to read the Word — in a fulness 
he had not before known.” 


A Wee Lassie. 


31 


“Well?” Glenn’s note of interrogation was 
almost impatient as Keith paused. 

“Well, I Vent into Arabia’ — my own private 
room — and for two days I fasted and prayed. 
At the end of that time something happened. 
I scarcely know how to tell you. I gave myself 
to God as never before, and he showed me he 
accepted the sacrifice. And he filled me with 
a peace and joy unspeakable. Since that hour 
I have been a changed man. I have been at 
death’s door within the past four months, and 
instead of shrinking away, something within me 
began to praise God, and I found I was ready 
to stand in his unveiled presence, if his hour for 
this had really come.” 

Without a word, Glenn turned and resumed 
his way down the mountain side. Kor did he 
break the silence until he neared the point where 
he supposed the gun would be found. Then his 
remark bore no hint of the conversation that had 
preceded it. 

“The gun should be just about here,” was all 
he said, as he began to search among the rocks 
and bushes. 

Tt could not be found, and much puzzled, the 
young men were about to go farther on to see if 
the carcass of the eagle could be discovered, 
when Keith saw a boy’s head stealthily protrud- 


32 


A Wee Lassie . 


ing from behind a pile of rocks, somewhat below 
and to their left. He quickly pointed in the 
direction, remarking : “No doubt he has the gun, 
and is in hiding until we get away.” 

A hurried descent to the boy’s covert found 
this surmise to be correct. The gun, after a lit- 
tle searching, was found to be hidden under some 
closely matted vines and briars. The boy, who 
at first denied having seen the weapon, sullenly 
walked away when his theft was discovered. 

“What a surly face. Looks as if the forces of 
evil had undisputed sway in his nature,” Keith 
remarked. “Do you know him ?” 

“Merely his name. He is a bad lot. Crates 
Welldon is a disgrace to his family. His father 
and mother are dead. His sister-in-law, with 
whom he lives, is an upright, God-fearing 
woman. I have known her, in a sense, since the 
first hour I reached Linwood. But come on. 
We shall not bag a thing unless we hurry, and 
my housekeeper is expecting a savory lot of birds 
to help out with our six o’clock dinner.” 

With these words Glenn started on farther 
down into the ravine, with Keith by his side. 

The boy sullenly climbed to the top of the 
ravine, muttering to himself as he did so: “Sum 
folks hez all they wants. Yas, ’n heaps mo’ then 
they knows what ter do with. An’ they’s so all- 


A Wee Lassie. 


33 


fired stingy they gits mad at er feller ef he tries 
ter keep what he’s done found, an’ hez er right 
ter.” 

This soliloquy will show the boy’s moral out- 
look on life, and as he has many friends through- 
out the world, who take the same oblique survey 
of things that he is doing, no doubt the reader 
has long ago made acquaintance with some one 
or more of the widely scattered fraternity. 


3 


CHAPTER IV. 


A Point Settled. 

M ABEL HILDEGARDE’S mental atti- 
tude toward her brother’s friend as- 
sumed many varying aspects, as the days passed. 

Sometimes she was irresistibly attracted, and 
felt he was, next to Glenn, the noblest type of 
manhood she had ever known. 

Again she was wavering, declaring to her own 
heart that he was far too narrow in his creed to 
be a helpful friend to Glenn, or a safe counsellor 
for herself. 

For, in spite of her varying moods, she found 
herself more and more frequently bringing her 
perplexities to him to solve, yet vigorously pro- 
testing against his solution when it had been 
given. 

“I see Keene is to be in the city this week,” 
Glenn remarked one morning at the breakfast 
table, as he laid aside the paper over which he 
had been glancing. 

“If I were quite sure the theatre was the 
proper place in which a Christian should be 
found, I would propose that we run down and 


A Wee Lassie. 


35 


hear him. I have not seen a play for over three 
years, and Mabel here, would be delighted to 
hear Keene again.” 

Keith looked interested, but made no re- 
sponse. 

“I have never quite settled, to my own satis- 
faction/’ Glenn continued, “the matter of 
theatre-going. There are many reasons why it 
ought to be the means of education and culture 
along the higher intellectual lines. But my 
observation forces me to the conclusion that as 
the theatre is conducted, it is almost a failure 
when these are the ends sought. Have you fully 
settled this question, Keith ? I know you some- 
times patronized the play in the old days, though 
I used to fancy you went more to please me than 
yourself.” 

“The theatre question was settled for me, per- 
sonally, soon after you and I parted,” Keith 
rejoined, leisurely buttering a piece of toast. 

He glanced up just in time to catch a glimpse 
of Mabel’s eyes, full of questioning inter- 
est, fixed on his face. The next, they were 
veiled, and she was busying herself behind the 
tea-urn. He continued, with his -face turned 
toward her, as if addressing his remarks to her : 
“I was deeply interested in the Young Men’s 
Christian Association work that winter, and had 


36 


A Wee Lassie . 


little time for tlie play, had I cared for it. But 
I had about reached the conclusion, anyhow, that 
the theatre was not the place where a child of 
God should be found.” He paused an instant, 
and again Mabel’s eyes were unveiled, and a 
quick flash of resentment leaped from their 
depths as she said : 

“And yet the loveliest Christian I ever knew, 
Dr. Kenneth, president of the college where I 
was a pupil for four years, taught us exactly the 
contrary. He said it was not only the proper 
thing to do, but a duty we owed to ourselves to 
embrace every opportunity that came to us of 
hearing such actors as Booth, Barrett, Jefferson, 
Ward, Keene, and others of their standing.” 

“Many of our leading men agree with him,” 
Keith remarked, then waited for her to continue, 
for he saw her heart was too full to keep silent : 

“I am sure Dr. Kenneth was a sincere, con- 
scientious Christian. He was almost the only 
person in college who thus impressed me/ If 
his advice was incorrect, of course I want to 
know it, but I am certain the theatre, as he 
attended it, never harmed, but always helped 
him. He was an ardent lover of Shakespeare, 
and he declared it quickened all his intellectual 
powers to see one of his favorite plays rendered 
by such a man as Edwin Booth.” 


A Wee Lassie . 


37 


As she ceased speaking, Mabel’s cheeks were 
aglow with emotion. Keith meditated a few 
moments, with his earnest eyes resting upon her 
drooping lids, before he spoke. 

“I do not doubt the truth of what you say, nor 
would I try to refute the arguments which have 
convinced Dr. Kenneth that his position is cor- 
rect. I have a personal acquaintance with him, 
and I know him to be a good man ; one whom 
I respect as I respect few men I have ever met.” 

Keith’s tone was gentle and sincere, and 
Mabel flashed him a grateful glance. He saw 
that he had disarmed her from her antagonistic 
attitude. Glenn now said : “But tell us how the 
matter was at last definitely settled for you ?” 

Keith continued, with his glance still directed 
toward Mabel: “Dr. Kenneth’s arguments had 
weight with me until the winter to which I have 
referred. T knew, however, from my own ex- 
perience, that the air of the theatre was not con- 
ducive to my spiritual health, however much it 
might stimulate my intellectual faculties. I 
found so much that appealed to the flesh and to 
the fleshly life, that sometimes I felt disgusted, 
and almost ready to give up all actors, even the 
purest, because of the accessories of the play. 
The higher-souled actor is not responsible for 
this atmosphere, nor has he power to purify it. 


38 


A Wee Lassie. 


The theatre as I saw it, even then, belongs to the 
world, and her grip is tenacious. She surrounds 
it with all that she dare present that can appeal 
to man’s lower nature, even when his intellectual 
is quickened and stimulated by the presentation 
of the highest achievements of art and genius.” 

“That is true,” Glenn assented. “It seems 
impossible to dissever the play from its evil set- 
ting. I have felt that for some time.” 

“But it was from a different standpoint, alto- 
gether,” Keith resumed, toying with his egg- 
spoon, for he was now too intensely in earnest 
to continue his breakfast, “that my attendance 
on the theatre was terminated. That winter I 
was present during a series of protracted services 
led by an able evangelist from the West. One 
day, in answer to a question which had been 
placed in the question box, he discussed theatre- 
going. He had, in former years, been convinced 
that it was proper for him to attend a play when 
any great actor of known integrity of character 
was to be on the boards. Tie had been led to 
this position by exactly the same course of rea- 
soning that induces Dr. Kenneth to give his 
presence, and the weight of his influence, to the 
same high-toned presentations. 

“Once, while in Chicago, a friend from across 
the ocean visited the distinguished speaker. The 


A Wee Lassie. 


39 


evangelist cast about for some means of enter- 
taining him, and was delighted to find that 
Booth was to render Ilamlet during the period 
of this friend’s stay with him. He carried him 
to witness this matchless presentation of one of 
the greatest productions of the human intellect, 
and it proved an evening of rare enjoyment.” 

Keith paused a moment, and Glenn said : “I 
can well understand that, for it quickens my 
pulses, even now, to recall how that prince of 
actors made that play a living reality to those 
who witnessed his marvellous rendering.” 

“The next morning,” Keith continued, “the 
evangelist said he met upon the street a young 
man in whose salvation he had been for weeks 
deeply interested. He accosted him with much 
warmth, and asked him about his religious life. 
What was his chagrin to see the young fellow 
step back and say, in resentful tones : ‘Don’t dare 
ever again mention to me the matter of my per- 
sonal salvation.’ 

“ ‘ Why not, Charley V he inquired, much 
pained. 

“ c Because, sir, I saw you at the theatre last 
night, and I don’t want any man who goes to a 
place like that ever to talk to me about the sal- 
vation of my soul .’ 1 


1 This is a true incident. 


40 


A W ee Lassie . 


“The evangelist tried to speak of Mr. Booth’s 
high and unsullied character, but the young man 
interrupted him by saying: ‘Booth is all right, 
but you know, and I know, that there were men 
and girls on that stage last night as wrong as 
sin can make them. I have been behind the 
scenes, sir, arid I know all about it. I have no 
faith in any man’s religion who goes to such 
places, no matter who plays.’ The evangelist 
said that incident settled theatre-going for him 
forever. He dared not be a stumbling-block in 
any man’s way. It also settled the matter for 
me,” Keith added. 

“It appears to me that this thought of becom- 
ing a possible stumbling-block to others, if ap- 
plied to all our pleasures and recreations, would 
soon deprive us of all freedom,” Mabel re- 
marked, as they arose from the table. There 
was a tone of deep petulance in her voice. Evi- 
dently the thought was not a new one to her. 

“ ‘All things are lawful for me, but all things 
are not expedient,’ the great apostle wrote. 
Should it not be the same with us ?” her brother 
asked, with a pained glance into her flushed face. 
“Dare we go on, seeking our own pleasure at the 
risk of causing one of God’s little ones to of- 
fend ?” Then, turning to his friend, he added, 
“Like you, Keith, the evangelist’s experience 
settles the theatre question for me.” 



“As Mabel marked the deep thoughtfulness of his eyes.” 


(Page 18.) 




















































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. 


* 






















V 










































* 










































































































































































































































A W ee Lassie . 


41 


His friend looked into Mabel’s dissatisfied 
face, and with kindling eyes, said : “It seems to 
me, Miss Hildegarde, that the dread of becom- 
ing a stumbling-block to some weak sister or 
brother, leads us into a life of glorious freedom. 
The freedom from self and its dominating power 
evinced in the joyful sacrifice of our own tastes 
and pleasures for the good of others. Is not 
this the key-note of God’s Word — freedom from 
the power of sin. and self, through Christ, that 
we may give our lives, in joyful sacrifice, back 
to him ?” 

A quick revulsion swept over Mabel’s heart 
as these earnest w T ords found their way into her 
soul. She was a proud girl, but she was also a 
frank one. 

“I am condemned under the truth of your 
words,” she said, in a low voice, after a moment’s 
silence. Then she went to her brother, and with 
earnest eyes raised to his face, added : “I begin 
to see how very far I have drifted from our 
mother’s teaching, and how my attitude, since 
I came to Linwood, must have grieved you. Ask 
the good God to show me the way back, for I 
am lonely and miserable since I wandered away 
from him.” 

With these words, spoken almost in a whisper, 
she left the room. 


42 


A Wee Lassie . 


“You see our Father is still a prayer-hearing 
and a prayer- answering God,” Glenn remarked 
to his friend, as the door closed behind her. 
“She is not out of the woods yet, poor child, 
but she has faced about in the right direc- 
tion.” 

“She will be a rare woman when the Spirit 
of Christ once gains possession of her heart. I 
have seldom met so strong and yet so gentle a 
character.” 

A few days later, as the two friends were 
again alone together in the library, Keith re- 
marked in a glad voice, as he looked up from a 
letter he had just been reading: “This letter is 
from Wallace Dupont, the owner of the pin I 
wore the evening I came to Linwood. You will 
recall you joined me in a pledge to pray for 
him.” 

“I remember. Rattlesnake fangs are apt to 
linger in one’s memory, even though viewed 
under safe conditions,” was Glenn’s smiling re- 
sponse. Then he added, gravely, “I well remem- 
ber our covenant for him.” 

“He writes for me to send him the Christian 
Endeavor pin. He has read the letters I gave 
him, and wants to join the ‘ Jesus Circle,’ as he 
calls the Society I represent. Says he has never 
had anything get hold of him as those letters 


A Wee Lassie. 


43 


have done, except my little talk with him on the 
train.” 

“Well, I do hope the young man has turned 
his face Zion-ward in truth. You must let me 
read those wonderful letters, Keith. I have 
often heard of Mr. Clark, and the good work in 
which he is engaged, but never understood much 
about it,” was Glenn’s reply, as he arose to an- 
swer a call at the telephone. 

Keith’s face wore an expression of joy that 
literally transfigured it. As he sought his own 
apartment, his heart and lips kept saying : a My 
Father, I thank thee. How I thank thee ! Con- 
tinue to move upon his heart, by thy Holy Spirit, 
until he knows Jesus in truth; until thy divine 
life has fully entered his soul, and his love for 
thy Son is the controlling motive and affection 
of his life.” 


CHAPTER V. 


The Last Ride. 

K EITH’S two weeks, the limit of his stay 
at Lin wood, had almost expired. 

The last week of his visit had thrown him 
much with Mabel, as some annoying business 
matters had so engrossed Glenn as to leave him 
little margin but the evening hours to devote to 
his friend. 

It was during these days that Mabel discov- 
ered their guest’s great delight in horses, and 
many were the merry rides they thereafter took 
together. Glenn sometimes accompanied them, 
but more frequently he was forced to remain 
with his lawyer, helping to untangle some knotty 
problems connected with the estate which de- 
manded speedy settlement. 

It was also during this close and unavoidable 
association that Mabel began to realize the com- 
bination of manly strength and daring, united 
with a calm gravity and gentle, though buoyant 
joyfulness, as well as an unobtrusive thought- 
fulness and care for the comfort of those around 


A Wee Lassie . 4£ 

him, that made of Kelso Keith a unique and 
wonderfully attractive character. 

“Our last ride,” Mabel remarked, with an 
intonation of sadness. It was their guest’s last 
afternoon at Linwood. They had drawn rein 
on a sunny slope, thickly dotted with yellow 
golden-rod, some distance from the highway, to 
enjoy a view of the valley which opened before 
them. They had early formed the habit of leav- 
ing the road to follow any bridle-path which 
promised to lead to an open view of the ravine 
and valley, which lay far below the level on 
which Linwood and its environments was sit- 
uated. 

“I shall always remember this point as 
‘Golden-rod Slope/ ” Keith remarked, dismount- 
ing to gather some of the graceful flowers. “I 
think I never before saw it growing in such lux- 
uriance. It seems a very forest of waving yellow 
plumes.” 

“I, too, will dismount,” Mabel said. “The 
view from the rocks on the edge of the bluff must 
be lovely.” 

So it happened, a few moments later, that 
Mabel advanced toward the brow of the cliff 
alone, Keith remaining an instant behind to 
tether the horses. 

He followed her quickly, and was about to 


40 


A Wee Lassie. 


speak of the superb outlook over the valley, when 
something on the elevated rock by which she 
stood, close to her elbow, caught his attention. 

It was a coiled serpent. There was not a mo- 
ment to wait. The next instant, unless he could 
strike before it sprang, the deadly fangs would 
be buried in her arm. He stepped swiftly in 
front of her, and with a murmured : “Excuse 
me,” threw his left arm between her and the 
rock, thereby forcing her gently to one side, at 
the same instant bringing his clenched right 
hand down on the snake’s swaying head. The 
muscles of the hand, as delicate as the member 
appeared, were like cords of steel, and when it 
was lifted, the serpent lay bruised, stunned and 
harmless, but vigorously writhing, on the rock. 

He stooped for a stone and soon ended its 
struggles, afterwards flinging it out of view over 
the boulders. 

Mabel had not spoken. He turned to her, 
saying: “I hope you were not seriously fright- 
ened. He meant mischief, but you see there is 
now no danger.” 

“But you,” she questioned, with pale lips; 
“are you not bitten ? How could you strike it 
with your hand without meeting those terrible 
fangs ? It was a spreading adder.” 

“I know. But my heavy riding glove was all 


A Wee Lassie. 


47 


the protection I needed. I have not a scratch/’ 
and he smiled. 

“Are you sure?” she urged. “Take off your 
glove and examine your hand.” 

He did so, to satisfy her, but laughed as he 
said : “I was too swift for him. Had I delayed 
he might have struck me.” 

She lifted the glove from the rock, where he 
had thrown it, and said : “Do not wear it again. 
It is possible some of the poison may remain 
in it.” 

And so, to humor her, he threw the glove over 
the ledge, and then said : “How let us forget all 
about this unpleasant interruption of our after- 
noon. Our Father kept us from harm, and we 
can best praise him by being happy.” 

Mabel was silent, and Keith, to divert her, 
began recounting a pleasing incident that had 
come to him while he was abroad. 

“This was before I met Glenn, and also before 
I had found my way back to my F ather’s house. 
I was a prodigal in those years, and knew not 
that I was lost, and miserable, and undone.” 

“Just what I feel myself to be to-day,” was 
Mabel’s low response. 

“Suppose we sit here upon the rocks while I 
tell you the story that melted my heart, and 
turned my feet afresh toward the celestial city,” 


48 


A Wee Lassie. 


Keith suggested, with an earnest glance into his 
companion’s drooping face. 

“I shall be glad to listen/’ and Mabel settled 
herself into a comfortable position and waited, 
expectantly, for him to begin. 

“I had, at the time to which I refer, forgotten 
the love that had sought me in the days of my 
early youth; that had so saved and blessed me 
that, for a time thereafter, I would not have ex- 
changed my joy for the imperial throne of the 
Czar of all the Russias,” Keith began, in a medi- 
tative tone. 

“But step by step I had wandered away from 
him; little by little my love had grown cold, 
until, at the period of which I speak, he whom 
my soul had so loved — the tender, patient Christ 
— -was not in all my thoughts. At last I plunged 
headlong, into the world, with all its follies and 
dissipations, and my heart seemed as deaf to 
his voice as though I had never heard him call 
my name. And then, just at the point when I 
seemed hopelessly lost from him, his infinite 
love and compassion found a way to reach me. 
It was while reading the test that came to the 
Forty Famous Wrestlers. Perhaps you are 
familiar with the story ?” 

Keith paused, but Mabel shook her head and 
murmured: “Go on.” 


A Wee Lassie . 


40 


“This is the way the story runs. It was so 
burned into my heart that night, when God met 
me through its printed pages, that I seem to see 
it to-day just as I read it then. 

“The great Roman empire was divided be- 
tween Constantine and Licinius, and each was 
bidding for popular favor. Constantine, with 
far-seeing policy, proclaimed the Christian reli- 
gion, and Licinius, opposing, rallied more 
strongly to the heathen gods. To every prefect 
he sent forth the command that every soul in 
each place, and every soldier in the army should 
olfer sacrifice publicly before the gods of Rome, 
under pain of death in case of refusal. Upon 
the border of a dark and frozen lake in Armenia 
lay encamped a cohort under Agricola. The 
men were drawn up to receive the imperial man- 
date. Before the gods of Rome and the ‘divine 
Caesar/ one by one the soldiers filed past and 
poured a few drops of wine as a libation. 

“Swiftly the line went on, till one paused, a 
tall and splendid youth, who said : ‘I owe no alle- 
giance before that to my Master, Christ/ and 
stepped back from the ranks as if set apart. 
And the next, gallant and strong, drew back 
from his fellows, beside the first, and said: ‘I 
owe no allegiance before that to my Master, 
Christ.’ And a third noble athlete turned aside 
4 


50 


A Wee Lassie . 


from the path of safety, and he, too, said : ‘I owe 
no allegiance before that to my Master, Christ/ 
Thus one after another, until forty stood back, 
each repeating the same dauntless words. 

“When the ceremony was all done, the general 
called these men to him. He knew them to be 
superior in every martial exercise, so ready and 
skilful in their youthful vigor that they were 
called the ‘Forty Famous Wrestlers/ 

“ ‘What do you mean V the general said. ‘Do 
you think I intend to lose forty of my best sol- 
diers for this nonsense ? Why should you make 
yourselves conspicuous and different from all 
others ? Why offer yourselves to death for a 
drop or two of wine ? It is a mere form. I do 
not, myself, believe in the old gods. Besides, 
you are soldiers ; this is a military order. Your 
general is responsible, and not you. You are 
Romans, and owe obedience to the emperor. Are 
you sure all those soldiers who obeyed Caesar 
were wrong, and only you forty are right ? It is 
only once, and a very little thing. You can still 
honor your Master, and surely this Christus will 
not object to such a trifle. Come, I will give 
you one more chance. To-morrow evening the 
ranks shall be formed again, and you may pour 
your libations; otherwise, you must go out, 
stripped of all clothing, upon that frozen lake/ 


A Wee Lassie. 


51 


“The next day, just as dusk fell, the cohort 
stood before Agricola. Once more the imperial 
command was read, and also the alternative of 
the freezing night upon the icy lake with naked, 
defenceless bodies. They were also told that 
upon the shore would be a comfortable room, 
with warm bath and fire, food and wine, ready, 
all night, if any would turn back to its shelter. 

“Life was sweet. Each heart held its thought 
of love, and home, and a fair future. 

“But, without faltering, one stepped forward, 
laid down his sword and spear, his helmet and 
shield. Upon these he laid his warm cloak, his 
thick tunic and close-fitting under-garment. 
Then, stripped bare, he went from the torch- 
light into the dim darkness, calling bravely : 
‘Forty wrestlers, wrestling for thee, O Christ, 
claim for thee the victory, and from thee the 
crown V 

“And another put off his weapons and his gar- 
ments, and with them life itself, and cried out : 
‘Forty wrestlers, wrestling for thee, O Christ, 
claim for thee the victory, and from thee the 
crown V And still another, with strong heart, 
went forth, repeating the same words, until all 
the forty were gone to’ meet that frozen death, 
and far away could be heard their hymns of 
praise to him who had given himself for them. 


52 


A Wee Lassie . 


“Fainter and fainter grew the song. As the 
dark night wore on the attendant at the bath 
waited in vain for one returning figure ; but at 
last, in the dim dawn was seen one creeping 
white form faintly dragging itself up the bank ; 
nearer it drew and nearer, till, just as the ex- 
hausted hand was lifted in denial of the Master, 
it fell lifeless. 

“But he who watched, himself won to Ohrist 
by the fidelity of that night, sore at heart that 
even one should fail and that phalanx of forty 
be broken, cast off his robes and went forth, still 
keeping up the triumphant song: -Forty wres- 
tlers, wrestling for thee, O Christ, claim for 
thee the victory, and from thee the crown ! 

Keith’s tone, although low, held the ring of a 
bugle, and as he paused Mabel drew a long, sob- 
bing breath, and covered her face with her 
hands. 

“From that hour my wanderings were over. 
I joined the ranks of those forty dauntless wres- 
tlers, and through the grace of our matchless 
Friend and Lord, I am still there,” Keith added, 
turning his gaze from the bowed face beside him 
to the open expanse of the valley below. 

A silence, lasting many moments, followed. 
Then Mabel raised her face and said, in a voice 
that was almost a whisper: “I have read those 


A Wee Lassie . 


53 


helpful letters you gave me, written by your 
friend, and to-day I feel that I am ready to join 
the Christian Endeavor Circle. From this mo- 
ment I believe I can repeat, from my heart, the 
words of the pledge I am to sign if I join the 
band. I do want my life to be the very best 
possible, and I believe I can say just what I am 
asked . to say when I place the pin upon my 
breast. Aud I think it will be a true help to me 
to wear it.” 

Keith smiled, and took the little case from 
his pocket containing the silver -pins. 

“They are all exactly alike,” he explained, as 
he opened them to her view, and took one of them 
in his hand and held it toward her. 

“I have a friend,” he added, “who always 
wears hers at her wrist, pinned to her sleeve, 
where she can see it whenever she lifts her 
hand.” 

Mabel extended her hand to take it, but drew 
hastily back, exclaiming: “My courage fails me, 
after all. My heart longs to believe in Jesus 
Christ as a Saviour from sin, and as an ever- 
present Friend, who will enable me to live the 
dove-life’ the little booklet you gave me tells 
about. And a minute ago I felt I could wear 
this badge of the Society you stand for ; but now 
my heart feels again like stone.” 


54 


A Wee Lassie . 


“ ‘I will take away the stony heart out of your 
flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh/ is 
what our Father promises,” Keith quickly re- 
sponded. 

He saw the temptation that w r as assailing her 
to doubt Christ’s power to deliver, and he felt 
that a crisis w r as on her to decide for him, of 
which she was not aware. 

“Suppose you test him, right now,” he gently 
urged. “Heaven and earth may pass away, but 
his Word — never!” 

Again Mabel bowed her head, and he saw her 
lips were moving in prayer. 

Then she quietly extended her hand saying: 
“Yes, I will trust him ; I believe he does forgive 
my wandering away from him, and also forgives 
the doubts I have admitted into my heart; and 
I do take him afresh, just now, as my Saviour, 
my Friend and my King.” 

She fastened the pin low on her bosom, where 
she could plainly see it whenever she bent her 
head, and murmured, in a low, solemn voice : “I 
am his — forever and forever his.” 

A moment later she added, with a ring of 
gladness vibrating through her tone : “And he is 
mine !” 

As they rode homeward in the sunset, Keith 
said : “I want to give you two passages from the 


A W ee Lassie . 


55 


Word of God that have been a great help to me, 
and to others. You will find them in Ezekiel, 
thirty-sixth chapter, twenty-sixth and twenty- 
seventh verses : ‘A new heart also will I give you, 
and a new spirit will I put within you; and I 
will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, 
and I will give you a heart of flesh ; and I will 
put my Spirit within you, and ye shall keep my 
judgments and do them.’ 

“You are now testing the first of these prom- 
ises. Never pause until you have pressed on 
into the last one. Believe me, this will mean 
more to you than I can express or explain.” 

When they reached Linwood, Mabel was look- 
ing more restfully happy than for months, pre- 
vious to this evening. 


CHAPTER VI. 


A Jewel and Its Setting. 

K EITH had been gone from Linwood over a 
week, and Mabel, decidedly lonely, was 
standing on the piazza wondering what she 
should do with herself, when her brother ap- 
proached. 

“The tangle is unravelled at last, and the 
matter settled. My lawyer has dismissed me; 
so now I can be on hand to help you have a good 
time,” he remarked, with a smile, as he noticed 
her disconsolate expression. 

“That is pleasant news. But who is this 
coming down the walk ? What a strange looking 
woman.” 

Mabel’s glance was directed toward a tall, 
raw-boned female figure that was approaching 
them. Like the most of her class, for she be- 
longed to the “poor whites” of Alabama, she 
looked as though life had been a struggle, and 
in the encounter she had been worsted. 

Glenn greeted her kindly, presented his sister, 
and then inquired : “How is the little girl these 
days ? I have been intending to carry my sister 


A Wee Lassie . 


57 


down to see her for some time, but have not done 
so, as yet.” 

“I d’clar, Hit’s ther beatenest chi? yer ever 
seed. Hit looks like er posy, an’ Hit’s ez peart 
ez er cricket. We-uns ’ull be proper glad ter see 
yer, ef you-uns v 7 ants ter cum.” 

Glenn glanced amusedly at Mabel. This 
woman had often been to Linwood, although 
Mabel had never before met her. She had be- 
come an object of special interest to Glenn be- 
cause of her peculiarities, and also because of 
some bits of her history with which he had 
become acquainted. 

“How long has the child been with you ?” he 
asked. 

“Jis’ three year. Hit’s jis’ that ter-morrer, 
since Hit’s mother drapped off. We-uns alius 
gits up a cake fur Hit in honor o’ ther ’casion. 
Pore creeter. Hit do talk er pow’ful lot erbout 
Hit’s rich kinfolks. ’Pears like if they air ez 
rich ez Hit tells on, they would er hunted Hit 
up afore this.” 

The woma*n stood by the piazza steps, with 
her arms akimbo, and her blue sun-bonnet 
pushed back from her face, revealing sharp fea- 
tures almost painful in their thinness. But a 
kindly expression played over them, and Mabel 
felt a great pity well up in her heart toward her, 


58 


A Wee Lassie . 


for she could see how hard and barren life must 
have been for Haney Welldon. 

“We could ride down to-morrow, Mabel, if 
you would like to see the child,” Glenn said, see- 
ing the interest the woman’s words and appear- 
ance had aroused in his sister’s heart. 

The woman caught the words, and said : “Do 
cum. Hit ’nil please ther chil’ ter see ye. Hit 
kinder mopes, these days, er waitin’ fur Hit’s 
brother, what Hit lows air cumin’ fur Hit soon.” 

“It is lovely weather for a ride through the 
woods,” Glenn continued. “The roads are so 
rough down in that direction, unless we go 
around by the pike, that we will have to make 
the trip on horse-back. Suppose we set apart 
the morning for it.” 

“That will be delightful. Yes, we will come, 
if the weather is good,” Mabel said to the 
woman, and then she and Glenn strolled away. 

“I am quite curious to see the child,” she 
added, wdien they were out of Haney’s hearing. 
“Did you notice that she always speaks of her 
as ‘Hit V ” 

Glenn laughed. “She is quite a character. 
It is interesting to hear her talk.” 

“Who is the child, anyway ?” Mabel asked. 

“Ho one knows. Her mother was a refugee 
from the yellow-fever, the neighbors tell me. 


A W ee Lassie . 


59 


She died of consumption at fancy’s house after 
being there a few weeks. She was of foreign 
birth, very beautiful and very poor. She was a 
fine seamstress, and sewed for 'Nancy, and for 
others who helped her, as long as she could hold 
a needle. She also played on the guitar, and 
had an exquisite voice. She died suddenly, 
from hemorrhage, and Nancy has kept the child, 
who is a cripple, ever since. That is all I 
know.” 

“Has she no name but ‘Hit, V ” Mabel in- 
quired, with a smile. 

“ Yes, her mother called her Nita. That 
sounds like a Spanish name. I am told she is 
like her mother, really beautiful, and I shall be 
glad to visit Nancy’s cabin. I have always in- 
tended doing so, but have never found just the 
right time until now. It will be delightful to 
go with you, and it may be we can find ways to 
make life a little less hard for the poor orphan, 
as well as for her kind benefactress. Many of 
these Till people’ are bitterly poor, and it means 
much for Nancy to have cared for this child 
during, these years.” 

lie did not add, what was the truth, that ever 
since he had learned of the case, generous baskets 
of provisions had, from time to time, found their 
way from Linwood to Nancy’s poor little cabin. 

Glenn believed in the Bible rule : “Let not th^ 


60 


A Wee Lassie . 


left hand know what thy right hand doeth,” and 
no human being knew of the many streams of 
charity which issued from his heart and purse to 
enrich the lives of those about him. 

The next morning, when he and Mabel 
reached the lonely cabin in the woods, their first 
glance at the orphan told them a sorrowful truth. 
The child was some seven or eight years of age, 
but very small for her years, and in spite of the 
twisted ankle which made her a cripple, she was 
rarely beautiful. But there was a vivid flush 
upon her cheeks, and a peculiar lustre in her 
soft eyes, accompanied by a frequent hollow 
cough, which told of consumption. 

- She was not shy in the sense in which many 
children are. She responded to Mabel’s kindly 
greeting with a pleased smile, but turned at once 
to Glenn. Her speech was refined, and plainly 
enunciated for a child, being wholly unlike the 
rude vernacular spoken by the hill people. 

a I)id you come in a big carriage ?” she asked, 
wistfully. 

“STo, we came on horseback,” he replied. His 
tone was full of tender compassion, and Hita 
felt his unspoken sympathy. She came a step 
nearer to him and said, with a faint little 
brogue that proclaimed her foreign birth: “I 
thought, perhaps, you might be my older 
brother, and that you had come to take me home. 


A Wee Lassie. 


61 


My mamma said lie was beautiful. But she told 
me he would come for me in a big, shining car- 
riage. It will be splendid to ride with him 
all the way home, won’t it ?” 

“Are you fond of riding ?’ v 

“Yes, indeed. I rode every day, once, before 
my mamma came away from the big houses, and 
the people. And when my brother comes for 
me I will ride again.” Her eyes were luminous 
with hope and expectation. Mabel felt a pang 
in her heart as she thought : “He must come soon, 
or she will be gone.” 

“Hit’s plumb crazy ’bout ridin’,” Nancy said, 
apologetically. “Hit talks so much erbout hit 
that I hev ’lowed ter take Hit ridin’ on ter the 
keers, but I hain’t never done hit. Hit’s two 
mile ter ther station, an’ I ’lowed Hit couldn’t 
never walk thet fur on Hit’s crutch, no how.” 

Mabel’s face brightened. She turned to her 
brother. “Could we not take her driving in the 
dog-cart ? The road is not too rough to bring 
it down, is it ?” 

“I think we could manage it,” Glenn an- 
swered, noticing the look of delight in Nita’s 
eyes. 

“Don’t you think, perhaps, you are my 
brother ? ’Cause I love you,” the child said, ap- 
pealingly, looking into his smiling face. 


62 


A Wee Lassie . 


Glenn felt no inclination to smile over this 
artless confession. There was something in the 
tone and in the wistful earnestness of the child’s 
eyes that touched him deeply. His reply was 
very gentle : “Ho, I am not really your brother. 
But you can play that I am, if you choose ; and 
this young lady/’ turning to Mabel, “shall be 
your sister.” 

For the moment the child seemed contented, 
and smiled fondly up into Mabel’s sympathetic 
face. The next instant a spasm of cruel cough- 
ing racked her frame. Glenn involuntarily 
steadied her with his arm. 

“Hit’s cough don’ git no better,” Haney said, 
with a troubled sigh. “Hit’s coughed like that 
sense las’ Thanksgivin’ day. ’Pears like Hit’s 
er-wastin’ er-way.” 

Mabel noticed the almost transparent fragility 
of the slender hands, and mentally assented. 

Before they left the little cabin a promise was 
made to come the next day, and take Hita a long 
drive in the dog-cart. 

“What a lovely wee lassie she is,” Mabel com- 
mented, as they rode homeward, and thereafter 
the brother and sister always spoke of her as 
“wee lassie.” The little waif had found a warm 
place in both hearts, and was destined to exert 
an imperishable influence on their lives. 


CHAPTER VII. 


The “Wee Lassie's” Outing. 

A S they rode homeward, Glenn and Mabel 
planned not only to take Hita driving, 
but also to give her a ride on the train. 

So, early next morning, they drove down to 
the cabin. Haney’s surprise at seeing them 
before the hour named for the outing, was soon 
forgotten in the delight of the longer excursion 
on the train, in which she was invited to join 
them. 

“I hain’t never ben onter one o’ them keers,” 
she said. “They’s sich pesky screechin’ things, 
I hev ben almost afeared on ’em. But I’ll go 
dong so’s ter be handy ef Hit’s tuk sick.” 

She carefully dressed Hit a in an over-ruffled, 
pink-flowered gown, which, to her rustic eyes, 
was the embodiment of beauty. But neither 
this, nor the stiffly starched white bonnet which 
was placed over the child’s shining curls, could 
hide the orphan’s loveliness. 

Hita’s cheeks were dyed a rich crimson, and 
her eyes danced with pleasure, when at last the 
dog-cart started on its way along the woodland 
road. 

Haney was to meet them at the station, and as 


64 


A Wee Lassie . 


she struck off through the woods with the swing- 
ing gait which carries the “hill people” over long 
stretches of territory in a brief space of time, 
her angular face bore the traces of a deep, but 
pleasureable excitement. When she reached the 
station, however, she entered the car slowly and 
distrustfully. One glance at Nita relieved her 
mind of all anxiety as to her welfare. Glenn 
and Mabel vied with each other in ministering 
to her needs and entertainment, and she looked 
the picture of childish happiness. This left 
Nancy free to amuse herself as she chose. 

She seemed anxious to grasp the mystery of 
the huge, snorting monster which “draws this 
yere kerridge, an’ which skeers me plumb sick,” 
she said to Mabel, in an awed tone, as the train 
started on its way. 

For some minutes after they got under head- 
way, she held to the arm of the seat where she 
sat with the grip of one suffering from great 
terror; but as the train glided smoothly along 
the rails, her fear seemed to subside. 

But as they neared the first station, and the 
cars shook, jolted, and finally stopped, she cried 
out, with a wild glance at Glenn : “I knowed 
‘tud’ be so. She’s done struck er stump.” 1 

1 This, like so much in connection with Nancy’s his 
tory, is a true incident. 


A Wee Lassie . 


65 


Smothered laughter from some young men 
seated behind her, greeted these words. She 
pushed back her large sun-bonnet, turned to- 
ward them, and said, resentfully: “Ef ’tain’t 
er stump, what be hit? My breath’s a’mos’ 
stove out, anyway. Sich er plumb shakin’ up 
ez thet air war, ain’t nuthin’ ter larf at.” 

Mabel smilingly explained the cause of their 
stoppage, and assured her there was no danger. 
The woman sank back into her seat, and did 
not speak another word until their destination 
was reached. This was the beautiful little city 
of Huntsville, the sight of which aroused Nita 
to happy talkativeness. 

“It’s like the city where I lived with my 
mamma once,” she said, looking up and down 
the streets with childish pleasure. “But she 
lives in another city now,” she added; “a city 
full of bright light, and shining stones and 
jewels. She told me all about it, and I’m going 
there, too, after awhile ; after my brother 
comes.” 

“She is nearer that city than she knows,” 
Mabel thought, with a tender glance into the 
shining eyes. “Her brother must come soon or 
he will find her gone.” 

They went into a restaurant, connected with a 
large hotel, and Glenn ordered a dainty luncheon 
5 


66 


A Wee Lassie . 


for four. The waiters gazed upon the quaintly 
assorted party with ill-concealed curiosity. But 
Glenn and Mabel were blind to everything but 
that Hita should enjoy her outing. 

But the child could eat nothing. In vain they 
urged the various appetizing dishes upon her. 
She declined everything, until a beautiful mould 
of gelatine and some slices of delicate layer-cake 
were brought in. 

Haney said, coaxingly: “Jis’ take er bite o’ 
this yere pretty striped bread, honey, dear. An’ 
er mouthful o’ this yere trimblin’ stuff. I Tow 
hit ’ull mek yer feel real peart-like.” 

Glenn hid a smile of amusement behind his 
napkin. The child, yielding to Haney’s en- 
treaties, consented to taste the jelly. She found 
it so refreshing that an entire saucer was emp- 
tied before she set it aside. 

As Glenn prepared to settle the bill, Haney 
drew him cautiously to one side. Her face was 
solemn, and a curious expression of triumph and 
cunning crossed it as she said, in a shrill whis- 
per: “Yer hain’t er goin’ ter pay fur what we 
diden’ eat, air ye ? I never teched that ’ar cu’yus 
bread an’ shakin’ stuff. What Hit et hain’t 
wuth mor’n er nickel.” Then she went closer 
to him and whispered: “Lump thet in wi’ my 
dinner, an’ hit’ll jis’ mek one squar’ meal. So, 
don’ yer pay fur but three on us.” 


A Wee Lassie . 


67 


Glenn smilingly assured her he would do the 
right thing, and she returned to Nita’s side, 
well satisfied. To her poverty-pinched mind the 
saving of a nickel was a large sum. 

Mabel now noticed that the child looked 
weary, so a room was gotten, and while Glenn- 
amused himself over a magazine, the little one 
enjoyed a refreshing sleep. Mabel sat by her 
side holding one of her wasted hands within her 
own while she slept, for Nita begged for this, 
saying: “You are so pretty and kind you make 
me think of my mamma. She always held my 
hand when I went to sleep. Could you do it ?” 
And when the frail fingers were closely clasped 
in the stronger ones, the wee lassie drowsily 
murmured: “Nancy wanted to hold my hand at 
first, after my mamma went away; but her 
hands are so hard I didn’t like her to do it. 
But your hands are soft. I like to feel them; 
they are like velvet.” 

Her speech was so quaintly precise, and so 
unchildlike in its accurate pronunciation of 
words, that Mabel wondered again and again 
who the poor dead mother could have been who 
had trained her child so carefully that the three 
years spent with Nancy Welldon had failed to 
mar the purity of her language. 

Her sleep was brief, but she seemed greatly 


68 


A Wee Lassie . 


refreshed, and when Nancy — who had been 
amusing herself on the sidewalk in front of the 
hotel absorbing the strange sights and sounds of 
the city — saw her, she expressed her pleasure at 
the child’s improved appearance by saying : 
“Yer looks ez fresh ez er posey, honey, dear. 
An’ I’s plumb glad yer duz, fur thar’s ther 
beatinest things ter be seed in this yere place I 
ever hearn tell on. An’ yer’ll hev ter be pow’ful 
peart ter git erbout ter see ’em.” 


CHAPTER VIII. 


A Happy Day Ended. 

D URING the afternoon Glenn asked Nita 
if she would not enjoy a carriage drive 
around the city. 

The child gazed with curiosity upon an elec- 
tric car that was just passing, and said : “Could 
you take me riding in one of those cars ? They 
look so pretty running along without horses or 
anything to draw them.” 

“Thet’s er fac’,” Nancy said, nodding her 
head toward the passing car. “Hit ’pears like 
sperrets inns’ be er-totin’ em erlong. I’s watched 
an’ watched, an’ thar ain’ nary hoss nur mule 
nur screachin’ thing er-drawin’ ’em. Hit do 
beat me how they gits erlong. I done got down 
onter my knees while Hit ware er-takin’ Hit’s 
wink o’ sleep, ter look under ’em ter see ef enny- 
body ware under thar er-shovin’ ’em erlong. 
But thar wasn’t nary pusson ter be seed. How 
duz they git over them iron rails, ennyway ?” 

Glenn gave a merry laugh and tried to explain 
to her the means of locomotion. This only 
added to her perplexity, and while they were 


70 


A Wee Lassie. 


waiting for the coming car, she stepped back, 
and steadily refused to join them in their ride, 
saying: “Hit don’ stan’ ter reason thet ther 
A’mighty wants his lightnin’ fotched down ter 
run them thar things with. I’s er-feared ter 
ride onter hit. God mought -let er little streak 
git loose, an’ whar would Haney Welldon be, 
then ?” 

So they left her standing on the sidewalk, 
with her hands resting upon her hips, her big 
sun-bonnet pushed back, and with an expression 
of doubt and fear upon her face that caused 
Mabel to say, with dimpling cheeks: “Poor 
thing. She thinks we are doomed to destruc- 
tion.” 

Everything delighted Hita. They took her 
into a music store, and the obliging clerk who 
was in charge sat down, at Mabel’s request, 
before one of the grand pianos, and dashed off 
a spirited waltz for the child. This pleased her, 
but she looked pleadingly into Mabel’s face, say- 
ing: “Can’t you make music? I want to hear 
you sing.” 

So Mabel placed herself at the instrument, 
and she and Glenn sang from memory one of 
those sweet old Scotch ballads whose minor 
chords sink deeply even into careless hearts. 

The child gave a sigh of contentment as she 


A Wee Lassie . 


71 


said : “That was beautiful ! They sin^ all the 
time in the city where my mamma lives. Won’t 
you sing again?” 

Glenn, at his sister’s request, took her place 
before the instrument, and after touching the 
ke^ T s softly, began to sing: “Jesus, Lover of my 
Soul.” 

Nit a listened as one entranced. Glenn’s voice 
was both rich and mellow, and as he loved music, 
he sang from a full heart. As he closed the sec- 
ond stanza he turned, saying : “Do you like that 
as well as the other ?” 

“It was lovely. It was about Jesus. My 
mamma has gone to stay where Jesus lives. She 
told me all about him. And I do love him so* 
much. Did you ever see him?” As she asked 
this question she looked searchinglv into Glenn’s 
face. 

“Yes, I know him, wee lassie ; and I, too, love 
him. He is worthy of our love.” 

A quick light sprang to Mabel’s eyes. She 
pressed her fingers against the silver pin she 
wore on her breast, and her heart whispered : “I, 
too, love him. Oh ! that I were worthy of his 
love.” 

“Now we will find something else that you 
will like,” Glenn remarked, as he arose and took 
the child’s hand in his strong clasp. “This 


72 


A Wee Lassie . 


young gentleman has been very kind to us. 
Don’t you want to thank him, wee lassie ?” 

“Yes.” She raised her soft eyes to the clerk’s 
smiling face and said, hesitatingly : “I am very 
much welcome to you. And I want you to live 
in the beautiful city with Jesus and my mamma, 
’cause you are good. You can play on a harp 
there all the time, if you want to. It never 
snows there, and the sun shines all the time. 
And they don’t ever have any ice or cold winds. 
Nancy says so. Won’t you be glad to live there ? 
I will. And I am going, real soon. Just as soon 
as my brother comes for me.” 

A flush passed over the young man’s face as 
•he answered in a low voice, seeing that she was 
waiting for a reply : “Yes, very glad. Suppose 
you ask Jesus, when you get there, to make me 
ready to live with him.” 

“Yes, I will. Good-bye.” 

Something that looked very much like a tear 
dimmed the young salesman’s eyes as he gently 
clasped the child’s fragile fingers. 

“Better ask him yourself. He is waiting, 
right now, to make you ready,” Glenn said, with 
an earnest glance and a friendly hand-shake, as 
they passed into the street. 

They soon found a bird-store, and great was 
Nita’s wonder in hearing the parrots talk. 


A Wee Lassie. 


73 


“Now it is time for us to go back and find 
Nancy,” Glenn said, at last, and soon the car 
was bearing them on their way. 

As they neared the point where they had left 
her, Mabel heard boyish cries and laughter, and 
looking quickly from the car window she saw 
Nancy standing in front of a cigar-store. Her 
hand was raised high in the air, and they could 
hear her talking excitedly as she slowly backed 
away from the door. 

“She is talking to that wooden Indian,” Glenn 
said, with sudden laughter, in which Mabel 
joined. “She thinks he is alive, and that his 
tomahawk is raised to scalp her. Hear her ex- 
postulating with him. The boys have caught 
on to the fun now. See them urge her on. We 
must get off and take her away.” 

Some half dozen lads were gathered about 
Nancy, as Glenn ran up to her. One of them 
cried : “You’d better run, ma’am. He’s a dread- 
ful feller. There’s blood on his tomahawk, now, 
where he scalped a girl the other day. He just 
loves to cut women to pieces.” 

“Ther ugly heethin ! An’ I wuzn’t even er 
noticin’ of him till he riz right up wi’ thet thar 
ax o’ liisn, pinted right ter my head.” 

Glenn led her away, and explained to her the 
innocent character of her supposed enemy. 


74 


A Wee Lassie . 


The trip home was an unalloyed delight to 
Nita. She was very tired, but Glenn arranged 
for her to rest her head against his breast. From 
this comfortable position her eyes drank in the 
full beauty of the scenery. 

The railroad wound and curved about in true 
mountain fashion, and the views disclosed to 
watchful eyes were often inspiring. The witch- 
ery of sunset, and then of twilight, added to the 
charm. 

Nit a drew a long breath of delight. 

“I don’t think I can be much happier than I 
am now when I go home with my brother,” she 
said, with a fond glance into Glenn’s attentive 
face. 

“Do you remember your brother ?” he gently 
asked. 

She raised her head to gaze more fully into 
his eyes. Her bonnet had been laid aside, and 
her loose curls fell in a rich shower about her 
face and shoulders. She looked so fair, so spir- 
ituelle, so ready to float away upon the first chill 
blast, that Glenn involuntarily sighed. 

“No,” she softly answered, “but I shall know 
him, for my mamma talked about him so often. 
I think you are like him. He suffered dread- 
fully for me, once, and my mamma said I must 


A Wee Lassie . 


75 


always love him for it. And I do. I hope he 
will come soon.” 

Again Glenn sighed, and Mabel, who had 
caught the child’s words, echoed it. “He must 
come soon, or he will be too late to find her,” was 
the thought of each heart. 

The drive from the station to Haney’s little 
cabin, through the moonlight, was one of weird 
and impressive beauty. Evidently Hita’s sense 
of the beautiful was largely developed for one 
of her years, for when Mabel and Glenn sup- 
posed her to be sleeping, she lay so quietly in 
Mabel’s arms, she said, in almost a whisper : “Is 
it dear God that makes me so happy ?” 

“Yes, dear,” Mabel answered, bending to 
press a kiss on her white forehead. 

“And does he make the world so beautiful 
just for us ?” 

It was late in September, but the air was as 
balmy as May. The full moon flooded hill and 
valley with silvery light, and the earth did seem 
indeed, at that hour, a place of unalloyed beauty 
and joy. 

“Hot only for us, wee lassie, but for all his 
children,” Mabel responded, gently. 

Glenn lifted her in his arms and carried her 
straight to her little cot in Haney’s room, when 
they reached the cabin. 


76 


A Wee Lassie . 


Nancy’s gratitude for the pleasures of the 
day were voluably expressed, but Nita only said, 
with her expressive eyes fixed upon Glenn’s 
face : “I am going to ask dear God to let you and 
your sister come and live with us all the time, 
when my brother comes and carries me home. I 
know he is coming soon ; real, real soon.” 


CHAPTER IX. 


Hita's Kinsfolk. 

I T was two days after the outing before Glenn 
and Mabel found time for another visit to 
their little protege. 

Haney met them in a state of strong excite- 
ment. 

“They’s done cum fur Hit,” she said, nodding 
her head toward the room where Hit a passed 
her days. 

“Who has come ?” Glenn questioned. 

“Hit’s rich kinfolks. Et least er fine lawye’- 
man rid up ther mounten, yist’day, an’ he ax me 
all erbout Hit. Little ’nuff I know, ’ceptin’ ez 
how I loves Hit ez if Hit ware my own flesh ’n 
blood. He ’lowed Hit’s gran’mother and 
brother ware er-s archin’ fur Hit, an’ hed ben 
er-sarchin’ fur two year an’ mo’.” 

“Whose child does he think she is?” Mabel 
asked. 

“Hit b’longs ter er plumb gran’ fambly, he 
’lows. He called ’em Delgrindo, er some sich 
name.” 

Glenn and Mabel did not wait longer to hear 


A Wee Lassie . 


Nancy’s revelations, but passed into the room 
where Nita was sitting. 

The child looked wan and tired. She bright- 
ened as she saw who were her visitors. 

“Did Nancy tell you?” she asked, almost in a 
whisper. 

“Yes. Are you glad?” It was Glenn who 
spoke. 

She shook her head and sighed, and placed her 
hand upon her breast. “Something here tells me 
it is not my brother who is coming.” 

At this moment there came the sound of 
wheels, and a handsome carriage stopped in 
front of the little cabin. 

“They’s done cum!” Nancy said. “Ther 
lawye’-man ’lowed he ware goin’ ter bring ’em 
ter day, ef he could.” She went toward the door 
to receive them. 

Nit a leaned eagerly forward, and looked 
out. 

“See ! They are driving black horses. My 
mamma said my brother would come for me with 
white horses,” she said, distressfully. 

Mabel pressed her hand, which was trembling, 
but made no reply. Glenn stepped back into the 
doorway of the adjoining room, and Mabel fol- 
lowed him, as the visitors entered. 

An old lady, elegantly attired in black silk, 


A Wee Lassie. 


79 


followed by a dark, handsome young man of 
about Glenn’s age, walked, without ceremony, 
into the room where Nita sat. A little wiry 
man, with alert eyes and a bland smile, followed 
them. Glenn knew this man must be the lawyer 
of whom Nancy had spoken. 

They accepted the chairs which Nancy stiffly 
proffered. Then the old lady adjusted her eye- 
glasses, and said, with a wistful glance at .Nita: 

“So this is the child, Mr. Clinton ?” 

“This is the child.” The lawyer’s voice was 
brisk and business-like. “She bears the family 
name, Juniata, which has been shortened into 
Nita. This woman tells me that the mother left 
a locket with a picture in it. Will you bring it 
to us, my good woman ?” He addressed this re- 
quest to Nancy. 

The old lady did not seem to hear what he was 
raying. She was absorbed in the study of Nita’s 
face. 

“She is like Leon,” she said, in a low voice 
full of emotion. “Her eyes have just the expres- 
sion of his. I believe she is his daughter.” 

She arose and went to Nita’s side. The dark 
young man followed. Both stood, for some mo- 
ments, silently studying the lovely face upturned 
to them. 

“Yes, she is like the Delgondos,” the latter 


80 


A Wee Lassie. 


said; but his face expressed no pleasure. A 
heavy frown rested upon his brow. 

The lady addressed Nita in a gentle voice, 
tremulous with emotion: “My child, would you 
not be glad to find your relatives ? Would it 
not make you happy to know that I am your 
grandmother ? And that this young man is your 
dear brother ?” 

“Only her half brother,” the young man said, 
quickly. 

Nita’s answer sent a shock through Mabel and 
Glenn as they listened. 

“Ho ! no ! no ! He is not my brother. He is 
not,” she cried, with passionate earnestness. “I 
don’t like him. I am afraid of him.” 

She covered her face with her hands, and they 
could see that she was shuddering violeutly. 

The old lady looked shocked and disappointed. 
The young man gave a careless laugh and said, 
pointing to the child’s twisted ankle : “She will 
not reflect much glory on the name, even if she 
proves to be the missing child.” 

There was a sneer upon his lips. “She looks 
like the Delgondos, certainly, but that proves no- 
thing,” he added. 

“This is Leon’s child. I am sure of it,” re- 
sponded the old lady. 

“If so, it is to be hoped the accursed Protest- 


A Wee Lassie . 


81 


ant blood of her mother will not show itself in 
her.” There was contempt in his tone, and 
Glenn, as he listened, felt an involuntary desire 
to throw him out of the window. 

The old lady bent over Hita, and essayed to 
take her hand. But the child moaned out : 
“Take him away. Do, please, take him away. 
He is not my brother. His eyes hurt me.” 

The young man bit his lip, and the glance he 
flashed upon the little cripple was not pleasant 
to see. The grandmother said to him : “She is 
ill. Her hands are feverish. We must humor 
her. You would better leave us.” 

“Yes, do go. Please go. I am afraid,” 
pleaded Hita, raising her face. Tears were 
streaming down her cheeks. 

“Let us go to the carriage,” the young man 
said, offering the old lady his arm. “There is 
no use waiting here. The woman can bring us 
the locket out there. Mr. Clinton must see that 
the chain of evidence is complete before we 
recognize this child as the missing heir. We 
must not rush matters.” 

Tt was evident he was not anxious to find in 
this beautiful waif the object of their search. 

Glenn, who was intently studying his face, 
said to himself: “He is cruel and relentless. 
God grant wee Lassie may never fall into his 
6 


82 


A Wee Lassie . 


power. There is murder in liis eyes as he looks 
at her.” 

After a few more vain efforts to win the 
child’s confidence, the old lady permitted herself 
to be led to the carriage. 

The lawyer followed, briskly rubbing his 
hands and saying :.“She will soon learn to love 
you, madam. She has been so long among these 
people that the sight of persons of her own rank 
excites her a little.” 

Nancy Welldon appeared at this juncture, 
carrying a small gold locket in her hand. Glenn, 
who had stepped to the window, saw the old lady 
open it. As she did so she gave a faint cry : “It 
is Leon’s picture. The child is his daughter.” 

“Then our course is plain,” said the lawyer, 
cheerfully. “I will have all the papers ready, 
and the evidence complete, in a few days. The 
sooner we get the child away the better.” 

“Yes, in a week, at farthest, we may hope to 
have it settled, and take her home.” Then she 
turned to Nancy: “We will pay you well, my 
good woman, for your care of the child. Try 
and get her in a better condition, and strong 
enough to stand a long journey. Here ; use this 
in helping to make her comfortable,” and she 
dropped a piece of gold into Nancy’s hand. The 
next moment the carriage rolled away. 


CHAPTER X. 


Going Home. 


HETHER the excitement of her rela- 



vv tives’ visit was too great for the child’s 
strength, or whether the fell disease which had 
her in its grasp had run its course, no one could 
tell. But after that afternoon Xita rapidly 


sank. 


Glenn and Mabel visited her daily. It was 
found to be so painful to her to even suggest that 
the Delgondos w 7 ere the kinsmen of whom her 
mother had told her, that all who were about her 
tacitly agreed not to mention them in her pres- 
ence. They also humored her idea that these 
were not her relatives at all, but that her true 
kinsfolk might come at any time to take her to 
the beautiful home about which she never tired 
talking. 

Glenn summoned the ablest physician within 
reach. He only shook his head. Hita was be- 
yond the aid of human skill to help. 

Again and again she would say, with lustrous 
eyes : “That man who came was not my brother. 
But my brother will come, soon, in a big, shining 


84 


A Wee Lassie. 


carriage, with white horses. And he will take 
me in his arms. He loves me dearly.” 

When she would thus talk, Glenn would turn 
away. 

“If those people really claim her, and try to 
carry her away, she will die at once. God grant 
she may be at rest before they come again,” he 
said to Mabel, who echoed his sigh. 

Haney hovered about the little couch with a 
devotion that was pathetic. Even her surly 
brother-in-law, Crates, the only other member of 
her little household, became almost gentle when 
he entered the sick room. 

“Here be some posies fur ye,” he said one 
morning, handing Hita a lovely cluster of blos- 
soms which he had found in a sheltered wood- 
land nook. 

A happy smile curved the sick child’s lips. 

“Will you bring me some when my brother 
comes ?” she eagerly asked. 

“Yas. I knows j is’ whar they grows.” Then 
he hesitated, but added, in a low voice : “I seed 
er fine kerredge, an’ hit druv white bosses, down 
ter ther station this mawnin’.” 

Hita’s face flushed. “Oh ! perhaps it was my 
brother. Maybe he will be here to-day.” 

The boy went out of the room, drawing his 
rough sleeve across his eyes. 


A Wee Lassie . 


85 


“Hit ware er hearse I seed/’ lie explained to 
Mabel, who followed him; and he added, in a 
low voice: “Hit ware er-toten’ Jedge Lee’s boy 
ter tlier cemet’y. Hit ’nil be tlier next ’un toted 
thar.” He indicated to whom he referred by a 
backward jerk of his thumb toward Nita’s room. 

“Poor Crates,” the child said, a little later, 
as she caressed the blossoms the boy had brought 
her. “He says I help him to be good. When I 
am gone I will ask dear God -to send some one 
else to help him. Crates wants to be good, but 
he says he can’t be, ’less I help him.” 

“Can’t Haney help him ? She loves him, and 
is willing to do more for him than any one else,” 
Glenn questioned, humoring her train of 
thought. 

Nita shook her head. “I don’t see why, but 
Crates says she makes him feel wicked all over 
when she talks to him; and sometimes when I 
tell him about being good, so he can live with my 
mamma and with dear Jesus, he just cries.” 

A quick vision of the boy’s sullen face the day 
he had hidden the gun, and his theft had been 
discovered, crossed Glenn’s mind. He could 
hardly conceive of him as being really melted, 
even under Hita’s gentle influence, yet he re- 
sponded: “It must be because our wee Lassie 
walks so close to God that she can help him.” 


86 


A Wee Lassie. 


Evidently the child did not understand him. 
She only said: “Dear God will be sure to send 
some, one to help him be good, when I go away, 
’cause he doesn’t want him to be bad.” 

These simple words sank into Glenn’s heart, 
and in the after days bore rich fruitage. 

The next mo'rning when he and Mabel reached 
the cabin, they found the child rapidly sinking. 
She could only speak in a whisper. Nancy sat 
by the couch with her apron over her face. She 
removed it as they entered the room, disclosing 
red and swollen eyes. “I done ’lowed I’d send 
fur Parson Brown. But Hit ware plumb sot 
agin’ hit. Hit ’lows Hit’s brother air er-comin’ 
ter-day, sarten, ter take Hit home.” 

A sob broke Nancy’s voice. 

Glenn leaned over the little form, and Mabel 
took one of the wasted hands within her own. 
It was icy cold. Nita opened her eyes and saw 
them bending over her. A smile irradiated her 
face, and she whispered, brokenly : 

“They are — almost — here — my — kinsfolks — 
all — in — white. Mamma — came — to — see— me 
— last — night. There — is — a — big — house — 
a — mansion — she — said — all — ready — for — 
me. My — Elder — Brother — went — to prepare 
— it — for — me. He’s — almost — here. I — am 
— so — glad.” 


A W ee Lassie . 


87 


A moment later a flash of radiant joy over- 
spread her countenance. She murmured, ad- 
dressing some one who was invisible to those 
about her: “I — am — all 1 — ready. Oh!— I — 
didn’t — under — stand. I’m — so — glad ! — so — 
glad ! — Jesus — Brother ! Yes — I’m — ready.” 

Even as the last faintly-whispered words died 
on the air, her kinsmen in white bore her away. 
Mabel said, smiling through her tears : “Now it 
is all plain whom she meant. Her ideas were 
confused, but her Elder Brother has come and 
borne her to the mansion he had prepared for 
her. IIow thankful I am God permitted me to 
see her go.” 

“I could almost see the chariot of fire that bore 
her away,” Glenn softly and reverently re- 
sponded. 

Two days after the simple funeral services 
were over, Haney appeared at the Hall. 

“We-uns air plumb broke up,” she said, 
mournfully. “Sence Hit’s done drapped off, 
tliar don’ ’pear ter be nuthin’ left ter live fur. 
I cay n’t hev no heart ter work, no ways. Hit’s 
pow’ful lonesome-like down in ther cabin. 
Cayn’t you-uns ride down ter see me in ther 
mawnin’ ? Crates air gone all day, yer knows, 
’cause he’s at work.” 

Glenn promised to visit her, and dropped 


88 


A W ee Lassie. 


some silver pieces into her toil-worn hand, and 
Mabel hastened to beg some appetizing food 
from their housekeeper for her to take home with 
her. As the basket containing this was placed 
in her hand, she awkwardly dropped a courtesy 
and turned away. Mabel and Glenn watched her 
as she went down the lonely road, and the latter 
said : 

“All the color seems to have faded out from 
her life. She is more lonely than we can 
guess. She gave of her best to wee Lassie. We 
must never forget to look after Nancy. Let us 
ride down to see her as often as possible.” 

Mrs. Delgondo’s lawyer rode up to the cabin 
a few days after the child was buried. He 
seemed greatly shocked to hear of her death. 

A few weeks later the grandmother had Nita ? s 
remains borne away, that the casket might rest 
with those of her proud ancestors. This was 
done with much pomp and ceremony. She also 
compensated Nancy Well don very liberally for 
her care of the child. 

Glenn and Mabel never learned anything 
more of Nita’s history. How she and her mother 
became lost to so wealthy and influential a 
family as the Delgondos, could only be a matter 
of conjecture. 


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CHAPTER XI. 


A Crisis. 

I T was the last week in October. Never had 
earth seemed so fair to Mabel Hildegarde 
as now. There was a sweet joyousness about 
her, these days, that her brother had never before 
witnessed. 

One evening, as they were sitting together by 
an open window 7 , for the air w^as as mild as an 
April night, Glenn remarked on the change he 
observed in her. 

“Yes,” she responded, smiling under his 
loving gaze, “I am happier than ever before. 
You helped me, and Mr. Keith helped me, but 
God used our wee Lassie to bring me out into 
his clear light and* love. As I stood by her bed, 
that day, and heard her dying recognition of the 
love and presence of our Lord, the Christ, the 
last vestige of doubt in my soul was swept away, 
and T could say from a full heart : ‘My Saviour 
and my God V Life has been a different thing to 
me since that hour.” 

“Thank God for our wee Lassie. She came 


90 


A W ee Lassie. 


as a sweet benediction into my life, as in yours, 
and many of her artless words will live with me 
until I die,” was Glenn’s quick rejoinder. After 
a few moments’ silence he added : “I was told, 
to-day, that Crates Welldon is in jail.” 

“I am so sorry! Poor Nancy! How this will 
grieve her.” 

“Indeed it will. And, if he is found guilty 
of the crime for which he was arrested, he will 
be sent to the penitentiary. It is charged that 
he stole a handsome rifle from a young man visit- 
ing the Masons. Crates was stable boy there.” 

“But how could a mere boy be sent to the 
penitentiary ? He cannot be over fifteen years 
of age,” was Mabel’s hasty response. • 

“Because the State of Alabama, like some of 
her sister-States, has not yet awakened to the 
fact that to send a boy to the penitentiary is 
the speediest possible way of developing a first- 
class criminal.” Glenn spoke with a vehemence 
that indicated strong indignation. 

“But is there no Reformatory School in our 
State for such boys ?” was Mabel’s surprised in- 
quiry . 1 

“Not yet. Two noble women, of high birth 
and culture, have been trying for several years 
to get our Legislature to establish one. I believe 


1 At this date one has just been established at East Lake, Ala. 


A Wee Lassie. 


91 


in the encl they will be successful, for God is 
with them ; but in the meantime poor Crates 
Welldon may have to live so long among hard- 
ened criminals, that all possibility of helping 
him ‘be good/ as our wee Lassie put it, has been 
crushed out of him. How that child’s words 
come to me, to-night ! I wonder if I have done 
all that was possible for Crates ? Sometimes I 
seem to myself to be doing almost nothing, while 
there is so much, all about me, that needs so 
sorely to be done.” 

Glenn’s usually buoyant tone was almost de- 
spondent. 

“If you, who are always doing something for 
others, feel thus, how do you suppose I must 
feel?” his sister questioned, with her earnest 
eyes fixed on his drooping face. “My whole life, 
thus far, has been wasted, and since I have found 
him — our wee Lassie’s precious Elder Brother — 
and his love has come into my heart, I have been 
wondering, day after day, what he would have 
me do that I may become a blessing to others.” 

“So then, we are together in the same boat, 
it seems,” Glenn responded, with a fleeting 
smile. “Thank God that you have really found 
anchorage in him at last ! Ho doubt our Father 
has some work all ready for us both, when he 
gets us into proper shape to use us. While you 


92 


A Wee Lassie. 


are waiting to find yours, don’t forget what a 
joy and blessing you are to every member of the 
Linwood household. Even the stable boys are 
better off and happier for your presence at the 
Hall, especially since our wee Lassie introduced 
you to her dear Elder Brother.” 

“I believe you and Mr. Keith introduced me 
to him, but my eyes were not really opened to 
behold him until the day wee Lassie went home,” 
was the thought of Mabel’s heart as she pressed 
the shining pin she wore “In His Name,” with 
caressing fingers, and sent up to him a swift 
message of thanksgiving, and a prayer for guid- 
ance. 

A few days later Glenn announced his inten- 
tion of visiting a convict camp situated some 
distance south of Linwood. Mabel begged hard 
to accompany him, but this he felt was not 
advisable. 

“There are over four hundred men down 
there, all convicts, and among them are doubtless 
many desperate characters. They are leased by 
a coal company to work in the mines. It is no 
place for a young lady to visit. I am going for 
a special purpose: to study the question of boy 
criminals as seen in this encampment. I am 
told there are quite a large number in this one 
stockade under eighteen years of age.” 


A Wee Lassie . 


93 


He was absent most of the week. When he 
returned his face was more grave than his sister 
had ever before seen it. In reply to her ques- 
tions, he said : 

“It is worse than I had heard. The day I 
arrived there I was told that two boys — both 
colored — were dying of fever in the stockade 
hospital. Both were under fifteen years of age. 
I was not allowed to see them. I found quite a 
number under eighteen years, both white and 
colored, working in the mines, side by side with 
the most hardened and blasphemous criminals. 
One boy — a negro — has as fine a face as I ever 
looked into, in one of his race. He has been there 
six years. He is now just seventeen years old.” 1 

“How dreadful !” was Mabel’s exclamation. 
“Then he was only eleven years old when he was 
sent to the penitentiary !” 

“Yes. And the lady missionary there, Mrs. 
Hudson — : for I am glad to say that a noble 
woman, with her husband and daughter, are 
spending their lives among those poor creatures, 
teaching and trying to lead them to Christ, — this 
lady told me that Jason, that is the boy’s name, 
is pure gold. He is one of the most attentive 
members of the night school, and gives every 
evidence of being a sincere, true Christian.” 


1 This is an actual fact, verified by the missionary in the camp. 


94 : 


A Wee Lassie . 


“You say the lady missionary has a daughter. 
Is she a child ?” 

“ Ho , and when I met her I was sorry I had 
not granted your request to accompany me. Miss 
Hudson, I judge, is about two and twenty years 
of age. She is a perfect lady, is highly educated, 
and has one of the sweetest faces I ever looked 
into .’ 7 

“And yet she is willing to spend her life 
laboring for the benefit of convicts ? How 
strange / 7 was Mabel’s comment. 

“You would not think it strange if you knew 
her. Christ’s presence seems such a living 
reality to her that, like Keith, she only cares 
to be where he would have her, no matter how 
dark or uncomfortable the place. And she is 
sure he wants her in the encampment. Her 
work is especially among the boys.” 

“You speak as though you had known her a 
long time,” was Mabel’s surprised response. 

“And that is exactly the way I feel. One 
sometimes lives months in a brief space of time, 
and I seem to have lived years in the few days 
I was at the stockade. I am sure I shall never 
again be the same man I was before I visited it. 
The awfulness of sin, and the need of extending 
help to those who have fallen under its blighting 
power, presses on me as never before. Ask the 


A Wee Lassie . 


95 


dear Elder Brother, my sister, to show me ex- 
actly what he would have me do.” 

That night, after Glenn was in the privacy 
of his own room, he spent a longer time than 
usual in prayer. Indeed, the entire night was 
passed in meditation and supplication, with no 
thought or desire for sleep. 

Glenn Hildegarde had, most unexpectedly to 
himself, come to a crisis in his life. Keith’s 
experience, as told on the afternoon of the bird- 
hunt, had been brought afresh to his memory by 
meeting Agnes Pludson at the convict camp. 

Something about this radiant-faced, sweetly- 
grave young lady impressed him, from the first 
moment of their meeting, with the fact that she 
had pressed farther* out into the spiritual king- 
dom than he had yet done. A longer acquaint- 
ance with her, and a few questions he had deli- 
cately asked and which she had frankly and mod- 
estly answered, convinced him that this impres- 
sion was true, and that she had indeed admitted 
Christ into her heart, and had there crowned 
him King, with a fulness and with an absolute 
abandonment to his will, to which he — as yet — 
was a stranger. 

As he continued in prayer and meditation, 
a question came to him which, for a time, 
brought him sharp distress. 


96 ' 


A Wee Lassie . 


Would he, if such were God’s will, devote his 
entire life and his means toward rescuing way- 
ward boys from a life of crime and infamy ? 

Could he do this ? He really wanted to help 
them, but could he give his whole life to this 
seemingly obscure work ? He had formed many 
plans for aiding his fellow-creatures, but they 
had all been such as would bring him promi- 
nently before the eyes of men, and win their ap- 
proving voice. But to bend all his energies, and 
give his fortune, in gathering up reckless and 
evil-disposed boys, and trying to train them into 
good citizens and followers of Christ, was some- 
thing he had never, for a moment, contemplated 
doing. 

But the longer the question pressed itself upon 
him, the more he realized the need that this work 
should be done. 

At last, toward morning, he humbly consented 
to assume the responsibility of such an under- 
taking, if God would show him the way and give 
him the wisdom required for its successful 
accomplishment. 

As he thus surrendered himself absolutely to 
the divine will, such a wave of peace flowed over 
his soul that, before he knew it, he was audibly 
raising his voice in praise and thanksgiving to 
God. 


A Wee Lassie . 


97 


Verily, the surrendered life is the only one 
where the joy and peace Christ promised his dis- 
ciples, can be fully realized. And yet how many 
hesitate, and how many others utterly refuse to 
make the surrender, and thus their lives are 
barren — no peace for themselves, and no useful- 
ness for others. 


7 


CHAPTER XII. 


A Lovely Plan. 

S OME weeks following the never-to-be-for- 
gotten night mentioned in our last chapter, 
when wee Lassie’s “Elder Brother” so revealed 
himself to Glenn Hildegarde that heaven seemed 
to have come down and entered his soul, Mabel 
remarked, as they sat at luncheon : 

“We have not been to visit Haney for ever so 
long. Cannot you make time to ride down with 
me to-morrow ?” 

“Ho, but the next day I will be free and can 
be at your service. By-tlie-way, did I tell you 
that Crates was not found guilty, after all? 
Haney was able to prove an alibi, and now a 
young negro is under arrest for the theft Crates 
was supposed to have committed.” 

“How thankful I am the boy is not guilty. 
While his face is undoubtedly a sullen one, wee 
Lassie’s influence over him proves there is a 
tender spot somewhere in his nature.” 

“Yes,” Glenn assented, “and no doubt Crates 
will be the first of the boys I shall gather into 
my Tome’. If I can only win his heart, I believe 


A Wee Lassie. 


99 


I can make of him a real helper in working with 
the others, for he has a strong nature.” 

It will thus be seen that Glenn had commu- 
nicated his plan to devote his life to the rescue 
and uplifting of boys with depraved tastes and 
tendencies, to his sister. 

Mabel had, somewhat to his surprise, entered 
heartily into his thought, and together they had 
laid many plans for the future development of 
the project. 

He had also written freely to Keith of his new 
purpose, and in reply had received such a hearty 
commendation from his friend, together with 
some practical suggestions as to the opening of 
the work, as led Glenn to see more fully than 
ever that his purpose was undoubtedly in accord 
with the divine will. 

Keith’s expectation of spending the Christ- 
mas holidays at Linwood had miscarried, much 
to his own discomfiture as well as the disap- 
pointment of his friends. He wrote to Glenn : 

“But I can secure a few days breathing spell 
in March, and if this date will suit you and 
Miss Hildegarde, I shall be happy indeed to be 
with you. My rooms seem more lonely to me 
than ever since I was with you at Linwood, 
and was there permitted to share in your cozy 
and delightful home-life.” 


L.ofC. 


100 


A Wee Lassie . 


When Glenn read this paragraph aloud to his 
sister, a dainty flush crept into her cheeks. 

“Perhaps he will be here in time for my birth- 
day,” was the thought that sent the blood cours- 
ing through her veins with quickened life. For 
in spite of her many womanly attributes Mabel 
was still somewhat of a child in some particu- 
lars, and the desire for a birthday fete of some 
kind was one of them. 

The heart-vision which this fair girl had re- 
ceived of Jesus at Mta’s dying couch, had so 
revolutionized her life that “society” was in a 
state of ferment over the change. Of course 
this remark especially refers to the social circle 
as it existed around Linwood. 

But as there were a large number of families 
of wealth and culture embraced within this 
radius, the effect of her altered life was farther 
reaching than one might suppose, some ripples 
extending even as far as the city of Huntsville. 

Her one excuse for declining the many invita- 
tions that flooded her to engage in various 
amusements which had once seemed to her to 
contain the very essence of life, was the simple 
answer : “I am now too busy for such things.” 

When further pressed as to her reasons for 
withdrawing so largely from the frivolous set 
in which she had so speedily become a favorite, 


A Wee Lassie. 


101 


she smilingly said: “I have found something 
more important and satisfying to me than to 
attend your balls and late suppers. My brother, 
as some of you know, never approved of my 
dancing, and your card parties were his special 
abhorrence. I am now trying to fit myself to 
become a real companion for him, and a help in 
the work to which he is preparing to devote his 
life.” 

Society around Linwood elevated its eyebrows 
at this candid confession, and soon placed the 
brother and sister on its list of “peculiars.” The 
preparations which Glenn was already begin- 
ning to make in a quiet way, for building a 
large Home and opening an Industrial School 
for the class of boys he designed to reach, also 
marked him, in the world’s estimation, as a 
“crank.” 

“My birthday party is to be a lovely affair,” 
Mabel confided to him some weeks after Keith’s 
letter had been read. “I want to invite about 
fifty persons. Will you promise to help me 
make it a success ?” 

“Of course,” was her brother’s reply, although 
his heart did not respond as warmly as in former 
days. Ilis mind was so filled with plans for his 
Home and School, that this festive occasion 
almost jarred on him. 


102 


A Wee Lassie . 


“But I am selfish to feel thus/’ he thought, 
with a self-reproachful pang, as he glanced into 
his sister’s flushed and beaming countenance. 
“Of course Mabel needs these enlivening seasons, 
and I must do my best to make it a delightful 
occasion.” Aloud he said: 

“Suppose I engage the stringed band from 
Glenraore to come up. Your guests will enjoy 
the music, even though they know dancing is 
prohibited at Linwood.” 

“That will be charming,” was his sister’s re- 
sponse. “And I assure you,” she added, with a 
merry laugh, “the guests will have no thought 
of dancing.” 

Her laugh rather puzzled Glenn, as he was 
well aware that the dance was one of the favorite 
pastimes among the set of young people that had 
gathered about Mabel when she first made Lin- 
wood her home. 

“Doubtless it is because she knows they are 
so well aware of my opinion that no thought of 
indulging, when in my home, will cross their 
minds,” was the explanation with which he dis- 
missed the matter from his recollection. 

“I do hope Mr. Keith will be here in time for 
the party,” Mabel continued, her cheeks deepen- 
ing in color. “Could you not tell him about it, 
and ask him to try and fix the date of his com- 
ing so as to fit in with my birthday ?” 


A Wee Lassie . 


103 


Glenn looked grave. “But Keith would not 
enjoy anything of that kind/’ he said, hesitat- 
ingly. 

“All the same, I want him to be present,” 
Mabel rejoined. “But you need not write him 
about it, after all. I can ask God to bring him, 
and I believe he will, for I am sure our dear 
Elder Brother is interested in my party, and 
wants it to be a success.” 

This remark astonished Glenn, and caused 
him to scan his sister’s face so closely that she 
broke into a happy laugh and ran to him, laying 
her cheek against his sleeve as she said: “You 
dear old Glenn ! I had not meant to tell you yet, 
but I see I must. I am going to have a lovely 
party for all the poor boys I can hunt up; those 
that live around the mountain, you know. 
Crates Welldon, now that he is free, will help 
me find them, and I am going to have some little 
simple gift for each boy. A souvenir of the day 
placed beside each plate. Now don’t you think 
Mr. Keith will enjoy helping them have a good 
day ? And don’t you think I can ask God to 
send him in time to assist me in giving this beau- 
tiful party ?” 

Again she laughed, out of her full, joyous 
heart, and Glenn stroked her cheek caressingly 
as he replied : “Indeed I do, for I believe he has 


104 


A Wee Lassie . 


put it into your loving heart to give the poor 
fellows just the treat this will he. Their lives 
are so barren this party will be a red-letter day 
to them.” 

Well satisfied, Mabel went about her duties, 
certain that her birthday party was going to be 
a great success. 

When Crates Welldon was approached by her 
on the subject of aiding her in finding the boys 
and marshalling them for the occasion, he shyly 
but heartily promised his assistance. 

“Thar’s er lot o’ ’em,” he said, scratching his 
head reflectively. “I dunno ez thar’s fifty on ’em 
close ’nuff ter git here, but thar’s er big crowd. 
An’ I knows ev’y las’ one o’ ’em. Sum be sich 
onery fellers, though, yer won’t want ’em ter 
cum, nohow. Jim and Joe Allen air sich low- 
down sneaks ther own mammy hez ben ’lowin’ 
she’d hev ter git shet o’ ’em, somehow. Yer 
wouldn’t want the likes o’ them ter cum, now, 
would yer ?” 

“Yes, indeed. They are the very ones I will 
be glad to invite,” Mabel hastened to say. “You 
see, it helps such boys, sometimes, when every- 
body has been looking down on them and calling 
them bad names, to show them that you like them 
w r ell enough to treat them as though you believed 
they wanted to be gentlemen. And you know, 


A Wee Lassie . 


105 


Crates, there is the making of a gentleman in 
almost every boy on earth, if only he is gotten 
hold of in the right way, and properly taught.” 

Insensibly Crates straightened himself to his 
full height as he listened to tliese words. From 
that hour he was Mabels staunch friend and 
ally, and down in his heart was then and there 
born a desire “ter be er gen’l’man, sho’.” Among 
the qualifications necessary, in his crude mind, 
to render him one of these exalted beings, the 
following were chief : That he must be honest ; 
never tell a lie ; keep his face and hands scrupu- 
lously clean, and his shoes well polished. 

“Yes, an’ I lies ter be keerful ter keep my ole 
hat off’n my head when I’s talkin’ ter MissHilde- 
garde, an’ wimmin. Haney hez alius tolt me so, 
but I never keered nuthin’ ’bout mindin’ hit 
afore,” he reflected, as he walked down the road 
which led to their cabin. 

Sometimes seed planted in very unpromising 
soil germinates quickly. Truth and honesty, for 
the first time in his life, now became to his 
awakening soul, virtues worth cultivating. 


CRAP TER XIII. 


An Unexpected Gift. 


REATLY to Mabel’s satisfaction, Keith 
reached Linwood several days before the 
date for her birthday fete. 

Glenn speedily informed him of his sister’s 
plan for a grand festival, and was much inter- 
ested in the way his friend received the news. 

“I am glad I reached you in time to have a 
hand in the affair,” he said, with a laughing 
glance at Mabel. “T feel so like a boy since I 
have shaken myself free from my duties, that 
I shall expect exactly the same treatment you 
bestow on the other fellows.” 

While he was in this jocular mood, Mabel con- 
fided to him some of the amusing experiences 
which had come to her while hunting up her ex- 
pected guests. 

In the midst of this recital she espied Xancy 
Welldon’s angular figure approaching. 

“ There comes one of the most original char- 
acters I have ever known,” she remarked, draw- 
ing Keith’s attention to the tall figure which 


A Wee Lassie. 


107 


was still some distance away. “You will be 
amused by her quaint talk. But we know her 
well, and she is one of the most unselfish beings 
on earth. She leads a very lonely life, and we 
are always glad for her to come to us whenever 
she feels inclined.” 

“Is she widow or spinster, that her life is 
so lonely ?” Keith asked, with a careless glance 
in Nancy’s direction. 

“She is a widow. Her husband lived only a 
year after marriage. She is all alone, now, with 
the exception of a young brother-in-law. He 
makes his home with her when he is not away 
at work, but he is so morose and surly toward her 
as to really give her no companionship.” 

Then, in a few brief, eloquent sentences, she 
told of Nit a, and of Nancy’s care over and devo- 
tion to the child. She concluded by saying: 
“Wee Lassie — this is the name by which Glenn 
and I have always spoken of her — was a verita- 
ble angel of light to Nancy, as well as to us. 
Since her death the woman seems utterly bereft.” 
By this time Nancy had reached them. 

Keith’s sympathy had now been fully aroused, 
and he studied her with that interest which a 
student of human nature ever evinces for a char- 
acter out of the usual type. 

“The walk from your home to the Hall is a 


108 


A Wee Lassie . 


most beautiful one,” Mabel remarked to her, 
trying to draw her into conversation. “Did you 
notice the swelling of the buds on the trees as 
you came along? I have heard the birds sing- 
ing, lately, telling me that spring has really 
come, and it gladdens my heart.” 

“I seed sum o’ them thar yarbs ez folks ’lows 
air good fur ther rumatiz, jist er-’pearin’ ter 
wake up ez I cum dong, an’ I kinder wanted ter 
git’ em,but I couldn’t be pestered wi’ ’em ter day, 
nohow. Crates, he hez growin’ pains orful bad 
when hit air er-rainin’, an’ he ’lows he wants 
me ter mek him er tea made out’n them rumatick 
yarbs. I don’ b’leeve hit’ll help him none, but I 
wants ter argify him ef I kin,” Nancy re- 
plied. 

Mabel smilingly expressed sympathy for her 
brother’s suffering, while Keith cast about in 
his mind as to what Nancy meant by the word 
“argify.” He decided she must have intended 
it for “gratify,” and awaited her further re- 
marks with renewed interest. 

“Ez ter ther birds, they’s that pesterin’ when 
ther berries is er-ripenin’ in ther summer, I don’ 
like ’em, nohow. Hit alius sot heaps o’ store by 
’em ’fore Hit drapped off, an’ when I heerd ’em 
er-woblin’ an’ er-woblin’ ez I cum er-long, hit 


A Wee Lassie . 


109 


med me feel more lonesome-like and widderless 
than ever.” 

Mabel flashed a demure glance at Keith, and 
Glenn, who had just returned from a visit to 
another part of the grounds, said, with a cheery 
smile: “I am sorry you did not bring Crates 
along, Nancy, to carry back some things for you. 
Now I will have to fix just a few parcels in a 
light basket. Next time when you come, be sure 
and bring him, if he is at home.” 

“I axed him ter cum, but Crates air pow’ful 
ill when he choose ter be. He said he hed no 
min’ ter tote no mo’ things fur me,” and Nancy 
sighed. “I preached him er long sermint, but 
hit didn’ fotch him round none, ter tell on. I 
tolled him hit ware monstrous kind in you-alls 
ter help sich pore, widderless creeters ez we-uns 
be, but he flowed he’d gobthet worrited er hearin’ 
’bout sich things, he mos’ wanted ter hang his- 
se’f. So, in cose, I had ter let him er-lone. 
Crates air plumb sot in his way when he gits one 
o’ his ill spells on ter him.” 

“What seems to be the nature of his illness ?” 
Keith inquired, amusement and curiosity strug- 
gling for mastery in his face. 

Nancy stared at him thoughtfully for a mo- 
ment before she replied: “W’y, don’ ye know? 
He’s jis ill, that’s all. He’s alius ben so. He 


110 


A Wee Lassie . 


ware ther illest young-un yer ever seed. Alius 
er bawlin’, an’ er whinin’, and er quarl’n. He’s 
ill by natur. Jis’ ill. So thar’s nnthin’ mo’ ter 
’splain.” 

Keith turned quickly away, lest the woman’s 
feelings should be hurt by the broad smile he 
could not repress. 

Mabel flashed a reproachful glance after him 
and said, sweetly : “Perhaps your brother’s tem- 
per will improve as he grows older. I hope so. 
Don’t you think — ” but a strange 'sound coming 
from the depths of a basket Nancy carried in 
her hand so startled her that she did not com- 
plete her sentence. 

“Don’ yer be skeered, honey dear,” Nancy 
said to her, lifting the cover cautiously from her 
basket and disclosing to Mabel’s surprised gaze 
the tiniest black mite of a pig her eyes had ever 
rested upon. 

“I’s done brung hit fur yer birthday present,” 
the woman said, triumphantly. “Hit ware ther 
runt o’ ther litter, an’ no ’count. Crates, he 
’lowed ter let hit starve, but I knowed hit ’ud 
mek er nice pet fur ye. So I hev done scrubbed 
hit, and tied er y alter ribbin ’round hit’s neck, 
an’ yere hit air, ez peart ez er cricket an’ ez 
hongery ez er settin’ hen. Hit’s jis’ waked up 
from er nap.” 


A Wee Lassie. 


Ill 


Mabel’s dismay was so great that she could 
find no word of thanks for this strange gift. 
Glenn came to her rescue. 

“It was kind in- you, Nancy, to think of my 
sister and wish to give her a present for her 
birthday. I will have a nice little pen made for 
it, and we will see that it is fed and well taken 
care of. No doubt it will grow into a fine shoat, 
after awhile.” 

“W’ot yer want ter mek hit er pen fur ?” 
Nancy asked. “Hit air fur er pet, an’ hit’s done 
scrubbed ez clean ez soft soap an’ warm water 
an’ er scrubbin’ brush kin git hit. See how white 
hit’s skin air,” and, unmindful of the pig’s 
piercing squeals, she lifted him with one hand 
out of the basket, and with the other parted the 
black hair along its spine, revealing skin of 
milky whiteness. 

“It’s just the thing,” Keith now said, coming 
to Mabel’s side. “You can tie a little bell around 
its neck on that yellow ribbon, and with the tink- 
ling of the bell and the little fellow’s squeals 
and grunts, he will add greatly to the music and 
the fun of the birthday festival.” 

Nancy looked at him complacently, scanning 
him interestedly from head to foot as she said : 
“Thet’s ther idee. Yer got right smart o’ sense, 
ef ye air one o’ them pesky lawye’-men w’ot ther 


112 


A Wee Lassie . 


Lord called hypercrates an’ spreadin’ adders. I 
dnryno why he called yer sich bad names ez them 
snakes be, ’nless t’wer ’cos yer spreads yer-se’ves 
ont so big-like, ’z if yer owned ther hull 
yarth.” 

“What makes you think he is a lawyer, 
Nancy,” Glenn asked, his eyes dancing with 
merriment. 

“’Cos’ his eyes mos’ done bored holes through 
me, a-ready,” she replied, with emphasis. “He 
h’ ain’t never tuk ’em off’n me sence I cumed, 
’cept when he went off ter larf. I hev seed 
lawy e-men afore, an’ I knows ’em. I likes ’em 
purty well, too, ’ceptin’ I ’members w’ot ther 
good Book calls ’em. Be he er beau o’ yown, 
Miss Mabel ?” 

“He is an old friend of mine, Nancy, and 
the best fellow living, even if his eyes are rather 
keen,” Glenn hastened to say, and Mabel, to hide 
her confusion, bent low over the squirming, 
squealing pig which Nancy had placed in her 
lap. 

“Yer’ll hev ter warm hits milk fur hit, fur er 
right smart spell, yit,” the woman said, again 
turning her attention to the little animal. 
“Hit’s hongery now, thet’s why hit talks so 
loud.” 

“Perhaps he is sleepy,” Keith said, seeing 


A Wee Lassie. 


113 


Mabel’s look of dismay and embarrassment over 
her new possession. “Let me have him.” 

lie took him and laughingly slipped him 
down into his coat pocket. The pig gave a few 
satisfied grunts and then was silent. 

Nancy eyed Keith admiringly. 

“She’ll find yer handy ter hev erbout,” she 
said, nodding toward Mabel. “Be ye goin’ ter 
be jined soon ?” 


8 


CHAPTEE XIV. 


Xancy's Xew Possession. 

S UEE enough, as he had suggested to Xancy, 
Keith procured a tiny bell and fastened it 
to the orange ribbon with which the woman had 
decorated the pig, whose possession made Mabel 
so uncomfortable. 

It was amusing to watch the little beast’s be- 
havior when thus adorned. Surprise, at first, 
caused him to stop perfectly still, seemingly to 
listen for a continuation of the strange sound 
which had greeted his ears as he started to trot 
down the walk, after Keith had turned him free, 
with his new ornament swinging from his neck. 
The silence reassured him, and again he pro- 
ceeded on his way. The lively jingling of the 
bell this time frightened him. He suddenly 
stopped, and then began to back toward the door, - 
in which was grouped the amused household. 
Still the bell tinkled at his every movement. 
Soon the black mite made a dash for the open 
gate. Keith reached it first and closed it, fearing 
the pig might get out on the highway and be lost. 

The little animal’s antics were so amusing 
that Glenn laughed until the tears came. 


A Wee Lassie. 


115 


At this moment the well-known voice of Nancy 
herself greeted their ears, addressing Mabel, who 
was standing on the piazza steps. 

“Jis’ look yere, honey dear. Hit’s wuth er 
nickel jis’ ter peep at him. I ’lows yer’ll give 
me thet much ter help me ’long, bein’ ez ther 
good Lord hez done tuk pity onter my widderless 
condition, an’ hez sont me er chile.” 

Much surprised at her words, Glenn and 
Keith joined Mabel, and watched Nancy as she 
carefully unrolled a bundle she carried in her 
arms. The face of a sleeping infant met their 
gaze. 

“Thar! Hit’s er plumb beauty, now, hain’t 
hit ?” she asked, in triumph. 

“But where did you get it, Nancy?” Mabel 
inquired in astonishment. “Whose child is it ?” 

“Hit air mine ” the woman replied, in a tone 
of deep satisfaction. “Did’n I tell yer ther Lord 
had done sont hit ter me ter comfort me in my 
widderless sorrer?” 

“Tell us all about it,” Glenn said, per- 
suasively, knowing that some story must lie back 
of her words. 

“Let me set down er spell, an’ git my wind, 
an’ I ’lows ter,” she answered, seating herself 
in a low rocker that stood in the hallway. Then 
she began: “Pinkie Passnups, ole man Pass- 


116 


A Wee Lassie . 


imps’ darter, wuz ther purtiest gal in Long Cove. 
Ther fellers wuz jis’ wild ’bout her. Wal, ther 
old man did’n hev no min’ ter ’low Pinkie ter 
run wi’ ’em. She ware on’y seventeen, but law, 
she ware er plumb woman. He mought better 
hev gin her er loose rein, ’cause Steve Slade 
wanted ter marry her bad, an’ she liked Steve 
fns’ rate. Ho use goin’ ’gin natur’. But ole 
man Passnups sed Pinkie shouldn’ never marry 
nobody; she lied ter stay home ’long wi’ him 
and tend ter things, ’cause her maw ware dead, 
an’ ther ware three leetle ’uns ’sides her daddy, 
ter look arter. 

“But folks liain’t smarter nur wiser then God. 
He done fixed all thet up jis’ ez he wanted hit ter 
stay when he tuk Eve out’n one o’ Adam’s ribs, 
and then jined ’em tergether hisse’f in ther holy 
bands o’ maturmony. Somehow, gals pears ter 
feel lost-like, ’tell they gits back ez close ter whar 
ther Lord tuk thet rib out’n ther fust man’s side, 
ez love can fotch ’em. Yer knows yerse’f that’s 
ther truth, now don’ yer, honey dear ?” 

Haney paused and fixed her eyes solemnly on 
Mabel’s face. A wave of color dyed the girl’s 
cheeks as she answered : “It is natural for most 
girls to fall in love. I suppose that is what you 
mean.” 

“Sartinly. Wal, Pinkie wuz like ther rest on 


A Wee Lassie. 


117 


’em, on’y her daddy wuz sot in his way, an’ he 
telled Steve Slade ter go ’bout his bis’ness and 
leave his gal er-’lone. This kinder riled Steve, 
an’ he went down ter Miss’ ippi ter see some o’ 
his kin. Pinkie, she worked herse’f up inter 
quite er rage ’cause Steve didn’t hev sperrit 
er-nuff ter brazen out her daddy an’ marry her 
anyway. So, when er likely-lookin’ feller 
what called hisse’f Joshaway Hightower, frum 
Georgy, begun ter foller her er’bont, she j is’ tuk 
up wi him at wunct. An ther long and ther 
short o’ ther story be, she married him, an’ when 
Steve come back, ready ter spunk up ter ole 
Passnups an’ take Pinkie any way, Pinkie ware 
gone. Hit mos’ kilt him. He didn’ stay long, 
but went back ter Miss’ippi.” 

Haney paused in her story, for the child on 
her lap had aroused from sleep. She trotted and 
patted him vigorously, and as he again fell into 
peaceful slumber, she continued, addressing her 
words to Mabel : 

“Two months ergo pore Pinkie come back. 
Thet Hightower feller hed done left her, arter 
treaten’ her jis’ orful. Pity sich fellers couldn’ 
be put in er chain-gang an’ kep thar. She brung 
this yere boy chile wi’ her. Hit ware on’y three 
weeks old. Her daddy wanted ter turn her an’ 
hit out’n his house when he come home frum 


118 


A Wee Lassie . 


ther fie?, one day, an’ found ’em thar. But 
Pinkie ware too sick ter git out’n ther bed, so 
lie hed ter let her stay. 

“She died yest’dy. She sont fur me, an’ hit 
ware ’nuff ter mek er stone shed tears, a’most, 
ter a-hearn her beg o’ me ter tek her babby an’ 
raise hit like hit ware my own. Ole Passnups, 
he done cussed hit, an’ ’lowed hit shouldn’ never 
stay under his roof. So, honey dear, hit air 
mine. Don’ ye ’gratulate me ? I kin work now, 
fur I’ll hev summit ter work fur, an’ ter love. 
I shan’t feel lonesome-like an’ widderless no 
mo’. Ther Lord air good ter sich ez trusts him, 
ther good Book ’lows, an’ he sho’ air good ter me 
ter hev gin me this pore fatherless an’ motherless 
orphin fur ter raise fur him.” 

fancy’s eyes were moist as she finished speak- 
ing, and Mabel felt a mist gathering into her 
own as she gently said: “I am glad God has 
placed the child with you. He will be a comfort 
to you. Glenn and I will help provide for him.” 

“That we will,” was Glenn’s quick response, 
as he slipped a silver dollar into the woman’s 
hand. Keith added another. 

She thanked them heartily, and said, as she 
rose to leave : “Hit’s gitten’ inter ther shank o’ 
ther evenin’, an’ I mus’ be er-goin’. I dunno 
what Crates air goin’ ter say ’bout my ’doptin’ 


A W ee Lassie . 


119 


ther leetle feller. He may be tuk wi’ one o’ liis 
ill spells when he knows ’bout hit. But law 
sakes ! I kin bar hit now, wi’ this leetle face er 
peekin’ up inter mine, er asken fur love ez plain 
ez plain kin be.” 

Mabel followed her to the door, saying again : 
“I am sure the child will be a comfort to you.” 

“Er comfort, honey dear? Hit’s er blessin’ 
ez desarves er bigger soundin’ name then thet 
air be. Hit’s mos’ like gitten inter heaven ter 
feel him er-snuglin’ up inter my buzz am.” 

Then she paused, ran her eyes over the spa- 
cious building she was leaving, and solemnly 
added : “If this yere house — filled chuck full o’ 
gold an’ jewels — ware sot right on top o’ my 
head, er free gift frum God, I couldn’ feel no 
mo’ happier then I duz this blessed minnit .” 1 

With these words she walked away, leaving 
her three friends convulsed with laughter, and 
yet with a mistiness in their eyes that showed 
how her quaint words had reached a tender 
chord in their sympathetic hearts. 

“She is pure gold,” Keith remarked, as he 
watched her going down the walk. 

“Indeed she is. One among a thousand. But 
is not her mode of expressing herself amusing? 


1 This, with many other remarks and incidents of Nancy’s, are 
actual facts. 


120 


A Wee Lassie . 


Did I ever tell you,” and Mabel turned with 
laughing eyes toward her brother, “how she in- 
vited us down last season to see her ‘crazy- 
anthems/ while they were in bloom ? I don’t 
remember that I ever thought to repeat this invi- 
tation to you.” 

“No, you never did. That is rich,” and Glenn 
laughed. 

“Crazy anthems !” Keith slowly repeated with 
a puzzled expression. “Oh ! I see,” he added, 
with quick merriment. “Chrysanthemums, of 
course.” 

As the laughter died away Mabel said: “Her 
unselfish spirit shames me whenever I am with 
her. With all her oddities, Nancy Welldon is 
a real heroine.” 

“One of our Father’s chosen ones, no doubt,” 
Keith responded, as he stooped to give the pig 
a passing pat of approval. The black mite, 
while in his infancy and to please Nancy, was 
given the range of the grounds, Glenn having 
decided that as soon as his swinish nature began 
to manifest itself, he was to be relegated to a 
pen. 

He had now settled down into quiet behavior, 
evidently having discovered that the bell, though 
noisy, was harmless. 


CHAPTER XV. 


A Red-Letteh Day. 

M ABEL’S birthday dawned as fair and 
balmy as one could desire. 

Crates appeared at a much earlier hour than 
was expected, bringing with him his first relay 
of boys. Ife seated them on the steps of the 
w T ide piazza with much the precision with which 
a military officer manoeuvres his troops. Then 
he sought Mabel, who, in her busy preparation 
for the day’s festivities, had not noticed his 
approach, 

“Them fellers cumed ter our place mos’ ’fore 
sun-up,” he began, with a fling of his thumb 
toward the forms seated stiffly on the steps. “I 
mos’ b’leeve they wuz mean ’nuff ter want yer 
ter give ’em ther brek’fus, ez well ez ther din- 
ner.” His tone and expression both evinced 
extreme disgust. “But,” he added, with swift 
elation, “I’s done settled ’em.” 

“And how did you settle them ?” Glenn in- 
quired. He had just discovered Crates’ pres- 
ence, and had quickly joined his sister. He and 
Iveith had offered to keep the guests interested 


122 


A Wee Lassie : 


and entertained until the feast was ready to be 
served, but neither of them had anticipated 
entering the field at so early an hour. Even the 
band from Glenmore had not yet put m an ap- 
pearance. 

“I jis’ tolt ’em that er genTman don’t never 
eat no grub nohow — nuthin’ wuth noticin’ — 
when he gits er invite out ter visit. An’ they’s 
looked ez ’shamed an’ ez tuk down sence I tolt 
’em that ez er ole sheep looks what’s done been 
sheared.” 

Crates chuckled over this piece of diplomacy, 
and Mabel hastened to say: “But I expect 
you all to eat a hearty dinner to-day. And I 
shall be disappointed if you do not.” 

The boy’s eyes sparkled as he heard these 
words, but he quickly replied: “Yer don’ know 
some o’ them fellers ez I duz. They could eat 
er plumb bushel o’ sicli fine stuff ez yer’s goin’ 
ter give us ter-day.” 

Mabel and Glenn laughed, and soon Keith 
joined them, and the three proceeded to make 
their guests feel at home. Crates soon excused 
himself by saying: “I’se got ter go back, now, 
arter ther other crowd. Jim an’ Joe Allen’s 
’mong ’em, an’ I’se got ter keep my eye on them 
two fellers all day. They’s plumb bad ’uns, 
they air,” and he walked away, standing as 


A Wee Lassie. 


123 


straight as his slouching shoulders could be 
drawn. 

Evidently he felt the importance of his posi- 
tion, and had no mind to abate one jot of it. 

Glenn and Keith were not long in discovering 
that they had their hands full. Mabel, a$ soon 
as she could, slipped away to aid in preparing 
the table, for she wanted to have the dinner 
served early, feeling sure, from Crates’ words, 
that each boy had brought with him an appe- 
tite that clamored for speedy satisfaction. 

The second relay of guests was much larger 
than the first, and among them Mabel soon sin- 
gled out the two Allen boys, of whom Crates 
had spoken so disparagingly. They were bright 
looking fellows, especially the younger, who did 
not seem to be over eight years of age. The 
older one was about fourteen. 

It took all the tact and ingenuity Glenn could 
command to win the phalanx of boys, to whom 
he devoted his attention, from their stiff bearing 
and rustic reticence. He brought the pet pig 
to his aid, but with small success, the boys being 
disposed to snub him as an interloper. Keith, 
who had enjoyed long experience among the 
newsboys of the city, was more successful, and 
soon had the squads under his care interested 
and happy. The band arrived, at last, and the 


124 


A Wee Lassie . 


music greatly added to the pleasure, as well as to 
the talkativeness of the youthful guests. 

tFust before the dinner hour, and when con- 
siderable freedom of speech and manner had 
become manifest among them, Keith noticed one 
or two of the older among the boys, ejecting to- 
bacco juice over the walks. Tactfully he said: 
“Boys, if Miss ITildegarde, who has invited you 
here to-day to give you a happy time, should 
place a plate containing poison before you when 
she summons you to dinner, and beside it dishes 
filled with appetizing food, which would you 
prefer, and from which would you eat?” 

“From ther good dishes?” 

“From ther plates o’ meat.” 

“I’d take ther good vittles, you bet.” 

“From ther platter o’ pot-pie, ev’ry time,” 
came a chorus of ready answers. 

Keith quickly pointed his question to their 
use of tobacco, and gave them a brief but telling 
outline of the injury the poisonous weed was 
stealthily but surely inflicting on their bodies, 
souls and spirits. 

All listened attentively, for Keith had a mag- 
netic power about him which always held the 
attention of those whom he addressed. 

At the close of his remarks a small boy — it 
proved to be little Joe Allen — who had been 


A Wee Lassie . 


125 


sitting quietly on the steps, stood up quickly, 
and with his bright eyes fixed earnestly on 
Keith, and the spirit of controversial debate 
written all over his face, said: “But Mister, I 
knows er feller what had fits — orful bad ’uns — 
an’ ther doctor tolt his mammy ter give him 
terbaccer, an’ now he’s done got well.” 

A quick burst of laughter greeted these words, 
for the crowd saw that little Joe, who, to use 
their own language was “nuthin’ but er kid, hed 
got ther inside track an’ throwed ther fine gent 
clean ter one side.” 

Keith himself could not repress a smile, but 
he swiftly answered: “Well, Joe, you just wait 
until you have fits before you touch the poison- 
ous stuff.” 

Joe, who had again seated himself on the 
steps as soon as he had delivered his protest, was 
on his feet like a flash, with the earnestly spoken 
words: “Wal, then, T’se done had ther nights 
mar’ twict, a’ready, an’ twer pow’ful bad ther 
las’ time, an’ skeered mammy mos’ ter death.” 1 

Regular guffaws of laughter greeted this out- 
burst of confidence, and Glenn remarked, in a 
low tone, in Keith’s ear: “You see he thinks he 
is almost ready for the fits. Poor little chap! 


1 This, like so many other incidents in this narrative, is strictly 
true. 


126 


A Wee Lassie . 


He would take them with pleasure, I fancy, in 
order to get the tobacco.” 

Dinner was now announced, and it was inter- 
esting to observe the bright, expectant faces of 
the guests as they gathered awkwardly about 
the bountifully spread tables. 

They needed no urging to induce them to eat, 
and even Crates seemed to have forgotten his 
words as to “er genTman eatin’ nuthin’ wuth 
noticin’,” for the way the food disappeared from 
his well-filled plate, was gratifying to his hostess 
to observe. 

Great was the delight of the boys over the 
pretty and appropriate gift which, as a me- 
mento of the occasion, Mabel saw was placed 
beside each plate as the dessert was served. 
Crates, at this juncture, and just as they were 
about to withdraw from the table, having been 
privately interviewed and coached beforehand 
by Keith, stiffly arose to his feet, and making an 
awkward, but elaborate bow toward Mabel, said : 

“We-uns, Mum, shell reck-lect this yere 
happy ’casion ez long ez we lives, an’ we all 
’lows we hopes you-uns shell hev many other 
’casions like hit.” 

IDs face was very red as he ended his little 
address, and although the speech had under- 
gone some rather startling and wholly amusing 


A Wee Lassie . 


127 


changes from the few words of appreciation his 
Mentor had suggested to him, both his hostess 
and Glenn were greatly pleased by his effort. 

The boys had scarcely reached the yard before 
they broke into vociferous laughter, mingled 
with subdued cheers, and such remarks as : 

“Three cheers fur Crates !” 

“Ain’ he or roaster ?” 

“Whar’d ye git that speech, Crates ?” 

And Jim Allen, with a merry twinkle in his 
eye, said: “’Spec’ Crates duz want more ’ca- 
sions like this yere day. But t’ wasn’t jis’ ther 
right thing, ter my thinking, fur er gen’l’man 
ter do ter ax ther Missus ter give ’em ter him.” 

Crates, who was close by and still very red in 
the face, bristled up at once. 

“W’at yer talkin’ ’bout, Jim Allen? I didn’ 
ax fur nuthin’ o’ ther kind. I jis’ wisht Miss 
Mabel mought hev lots o’ other happy days, jis’ 
like this yere one hez been ter her. She de- 
sarves ’em, sho’, fur she’s ther purtiest an’ ther 
best woman on top o’ this mount’in.” 

“Yer’d better a-sed, on top o’ ther hull world,” 
Jim corrected, greatly enjoying his opportunity 
for “takin’ Crates down er peg,” as he after- 
wards expressed himself to little Joe. 

Keith now appeared in their midst, and 
Crates received Jim’s parting thrust in silence. 


128 


A Wee Lassie . 


During the afternoon Glenn, who happened 
to be standing next to Crates while some of the 
boys were playing a game of ball, remarked to 
him: “I have often wondered what your full 
name could be. I have never before known any 
one who was called Crates.” 

“Plain’ t yer ? Why, I’se named arter that ole 
feller w’at tuk pizen — So — crates. Crates air 
j is’ fur short, yer know. I reckon ez how his 
fambly called him that-er-way, too. Don’ ye 
’now ?’’ 

Sudden mirth almost over-powered Glenn’s 
sense of politeness. To hear the grand old phil- 
osopher’s name pronounced with only two sylla- 
bles was bad enough, but to have this followed 
by the appalling suggestion that his friends were 
in the habit of addressing him as “Crates” bor- 
dered on sacrilege. 

“I’d like ter know what he wanted ter take 
pizen fur. I’se often studdied ’bout hit. Folks 
must hev sot heaps o’ store by him, ’cause Nancy 
’lows mam done tolt her he writ books. An’ all 
sich air plumb big folks, now hain’t ther ?” and 
the boy looked earnestly into his host’s smiling 
face. 

Before an answer could be given the game 
demanded Crates’ undivided attention, so Glenn 
was spared an explanation. 


A Wee Lassie. 


129 


The happiest day must come to an end, and 
Mabel's birthday fete was no exception. Sup- 
per was served on the lawn in the form of gen- 
erous sandwiches, slices of cake and luscious 
fruit, flanked by candy of various kinds. This 
last was daintily arranged in tarleton bags of 
delicate shade, and each boy received one as his 
individual property. 

After the meal was over, and just before the 
guests arose to take their leave, Keith, at Ma- 
bel's request, in simple words returned thanks 
to God for the happy day, and invoked his lov- 
ing care and protection over each boy, asking 
that every one of them might grow into a noble, 
Chrjst-like man. 

Keith would have been greatly surprised 
could he have overheard some of the remarks 
made about him as the boys trudged home- 
ward. 

“I didn' know he ware er parson," Jim Allen 
said, with chagrin in face and tone. “I would'n 
er axed him ter a-kep 'tally fur us, ef I hed er 
knowed hit. He ware so nice an' jolly-like I 
'lowed he ware one o' them travellin' fellers w'ot 
they calls ‘drums.' " 

“Shucks ! He air no mo' er parson then I 
be," was Crates Welldon's quick response. “W'ot 
meks yer -think he air one ?" 

9 


130 


A Wee Lassie . 


“ ’Cause he prayed. I never heered any fel- 
ler pray like that ’cept er parson.” 

a Parsons don’ pray like him. He jis’ talked 
ter God. I mos’ thought, one spell, I mought 
hev seed ther Awmighty, Hisse’f, er standin’ 
elost up' ter him, ef I hed er dared ter open my 
eyes.” 

“Thet’s so. I hed ther same feelin’,” Jake 
Ridley declared. Jake was one of the older 
among the guests, and the boys rather looked up 
to him. 

“Wal, I’se done chawed my las’ chaw -o’ ter- 
baccer,” Crates announced, as he felt about in 
his pockets to see if there were any remaining 
bits left. Evidently he had used up the. last 
fragment he possessed, and well satisfied he 
continued: “Miss Mabel done tolt me, jis’ ’fore 
supper, how folks dies, sometimes, wi’ orful can- 
cer-sores kotched from usin’ terbaccer. She 
hed er own uncle w’ot died from one. An’ I 
’low I a in’ go in’ ter resk kotchin’ nary sore like 
er cancer-'sore be.” 

“They’s pow’ful bad, sho! I seed ole man 
Jinkinses jis’ ’fore he died. His ware on ther 
topside o’ his throat. I never heered he kotched 
hit from chawin’ terbaccer ; but he sho’ chawed 
hit ; jis’ et hit, ez yer mought say,” was little 
Joe Allen’s remark. 


A Wee Lassie. 


131 


“I’s not skeered ter use terbaccer ; but what 
thet feller they calls Keith sed ’bout hit er bein’ 
dirty-like, an’ ’bout our wantin’ ter be clean on 
ther inside ez well ez on ther outside, sticks fas’ 
ter me. I never thought ’bout hit bein’ sich 
plumb onery stuff afore,” Jake Ridley said, in 
a, meditative tone. Then he added : “But I don’ 
b’leeve I kin give hit up. I’s done chawed an’ 
smoked hit sence I ware so high,” and he indi- 
cated the height of a very small child by the 
motion of his hand. 

“That’s jis’ my fix,” Jim Allen declared. 
“Mam — she jis’ nach’ly hates terbaccer, an’ 
she done ’lowed she’d give me er silver dollar ef 
I’d jis’ quit off an’ git shet o’ hit. P’raps I’ll 
s’prise her, yit, by takin’ her up on hit. A dollar 
will buy lots o’ things er feller likes.” 

Thus they talked as they wended their way 
homeward at the close of what was the most 
bright, and beautiful, and enjoyable day that 
had ever come into their barren lives. And how 
their parents, and other members of the differ- 
ent families, were entertained that evening by a 
recital of the incidents of the day, and by a full 
description of the elaborate dinner and generous 
luncheon that had been provided for them, and 
also by the exhibition of the handsome present 
given them. 


132 


A W ee Lassie. 


And later, when they retired to their hard 
beds, it was only to live over again the beautiful 
day in the dreams of the night. 

Only lie who knows and reads the hearts of 
boys, as well as those of older growth, can tell 
what hidden fountains in their crude natures 
had been opened, that day, through contact with 
lives made fragrant for good by daily walk and 
converse with wee Lassie’s gracious Elder 
Brother. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


A Charmed Life. 



EITH lingered at the Hall longer than 


he had planned to remain when he came. 
Something about the place and its inmates held 
for him a charm he had never before felt. 

“My visits to Linwood spoil me/’ he remarked 
the last evening of his stay. He was speaking 
to Glenn, but his gaze rested on Mabel. Her 
glance of inquiry caused him to continue: “The 
air of this home is so perfect; it so fulfils my 
thought of what a home should be that my 
lonely, cheerless apartments seem more dreary 
to me than ever, after I have been with you.” 

“Then why not come to us more frequently ?” 
Glenn asked, heartily. 

“Perhaps I may, if business permits, and 
your invitation continues to stand.” 

His eyes were still studying MabeTs mobile 
countenance, although he was not conscious of 
this fact until her deepening color reminded him 
of his rudeness. 

“Forgive me,” he said, in a low tone. “You 
bring to memory a face I once saw on canvass 


A W ee Lassie . 


1$4 

in Florence.” Then he turned to Glenn, remark- 
ing: “I suppose your Home and School will be 
opened in October.” 

“Yes, if the work goes on as it now promises. 
The buildings will be ready; but — will. I?” 

He smiled at Keith’s quick glance of surprise, 
and continued: “I mean that I am still all at 
sea about teachers. I have the right man, I am 
sure, for the head of the industrial department, 
and two more in sight; but others are needed, 
and I cannot, as yet, seem to find the ones I 
want.” 

“Perhaps I can assist you. I will bear it on 
my heart, and if I think of any one that will 
suit, I will write you.” 

The conversation gradually turned toward less 
personal topics until Glenn, going to a small 
case where he kept a few of his choice books, 
brought out a small volume, saying : “Here is a 
gem from Phillips Brooks on ‘Fellowship with 
Christ.’ I came across it yesterday, and it so 
stirred my heart that I want to pass it on to 
you and Mabel.” 

Both expressed pleasure in hearing anything 
from the pen of this gifted speaker and writer, 
and Glenn began : 

“Let us try to understand how the soul finds 
refuge in communion with God. Of all the deep 


A Wee Lassie . 


135 


phrases in the Bible, where can we find one 
deeper or more beautiful than this of David’s, 
‘Thou wilt keep him in the secret of thy pres- 
ence.’ 

“The very words are full of peace, before we 
hardly touch them to open their hidden thought. 
But their meaning is deeper the more we study 
it. They mean that when a man is spiritually 
conscious of the presence of God it secludes and 
separates him from every other presence. Can 
w r e understand that ? 

“You go into a room full of people, and the 
tumult of tongues is all about you. You are 
bewildered and distracted. In the ordinary lan- 
guage of society, which sometimes hits the truth 
of its own condition rightly, you ‘feel lost.’ You 
lose yourself in the presence of so many people. 
They all seem to take hold of you and claim some 
part of you, whether they speak to you or not. 
You are lost in the crowd. 

“But by-and-by you meet your best friend 
there ; somebody whose life is your life ; some- 
body you sincerely love and trust; somebody 
who thoroughly satisfies you, and, by contact 
of his nature, makes your taste and brain and 
heart and conscience work at their best. As you 
draw near to him it seems as if you draw away 
from all other people. As he takes hold of you 


136 


A Wee Lassie. 


he seems to claim you, and they let you go. The 
worry and vexation of the crowd sink away as he 
begins to talk to you, and you understand one 
another. 

“By-and-by you have forgotten that all those 
other men are talking around you. You have 
escaped from the strife of tongues. You are 
absorbed in him. He has hid you in the secret 
of his presence. 

“And now, if it is possible, instead of your 
best friend, for God himself to be with you so 
that his presence is real; so that he lets you 
understand his thoughts and lets you know that 
he understands yours so that there is true sym- 
pathy between you and him ; if mere vision and 
hearing are not necessary to the divine company, 
and if he comes as close to you — nay, infinitely 
closer than the men who crowd you around and 
whose voices are in your ears — then the unseen 
God is truly with you. What, then, must 
follow ? 

“Can any tumult of those men distress you? 
Can their unfairness anger you? You hear 
them blaming you ; you hear them praising you. 
Does either work a tumult in your soul ? They 
ask you flippant questions ; they give you flip- 
pant advice. Does either distress you ? 

“You are with them, and yet you are alone 


# 



‘ * Something about this radiant-faced , sweetly grave young lady , 
impressed him. ” 


(Page 95.) 

























\ 































































































































































































A Wee Lassie . 


137 


with him. They parade their foolish vanities 
before you, and you hardly see them. It is as 
if a bright fly fluttered its impertinent finery 
between you and the west when you were looking 
at a gorgeous sunset. He has blinded you to all 
but himself. He has hid you in the secret of 
his presence from the pride of men.” 

Glenn paused and raised a face, beaming with 
emotion, to his hearers. He met an answering 
emotion in theirs, and Keith remarked : “Why 
does it take us so long thus to know him ? Thus 
to be hidden away in his presence, where nothing 
can disturb the sweet peace such fellowship 
brings ?” 

“Because, for so long a time after we find him, 
our hearts are divided. Our ‘eye is not single/ 
hence our light is full of shadows/’ was Glenn’s 
quick reply. 

“Yes, and we do not enough cultivate a sense 
of his presence. We do not seek for him down 
in the depths of our own being, but as One far 
away in heaven. When I once began to turn 
my gaze inward, expecting to find him — awake 
and smiling and full of love and sympathy — in 
my own/ soul, it was not long until he began to 
manifest himself to my consciousness.” 

As he thus spoke Keith bent his eyes on 
Mabel’s uplifted countenance. She smiled as 


138 


A Wee Lassie . 


she said in a low voice: “I am thankful I can 
understand a little of what you are saying, and 
also something of those wonderful words of Phil- 
lips Brooks. The booklet you gave me — ‘The 
Charmed Life’ — taught me to look for Christ as 
being ever present with me.” She hesitated a mo- 
ment and then added, with a glance toward her 
brother: “Would you mind reading a few para- 
graphs aloud from my little volume? The style 
is very simple, but it follows the line of what 
you have already been reading ?” 

“I shall be delighted to do so. How is it that 
you have not before placed it in my hands ?” was 
Glenn’s ready answer. 

“I did not fancy you needed it. But to-night 
it will fit in so nicely that I think we may all 
enjoy it.” 

So saying she arose and left the room, soon 
returning with a dainty booklet which she gave 
to her brother, opened at a certain page. 

“This is a promising caption,” he remarked, 
with a smile. Then he read aloud : 

“How Can I be Always Joyful and Happy? 

“ In Thy presence is fullness of joy. At Thy right 
hand there are pleasures forevermore.” — Ps. xvi. 11. 

“By keeping in the presence of Jesus. Our 
text says in his presence is fulness of joy. If 


A Wee Lassie . 


139 


you have fulness of joy you have all that you can 
hold. If you have it forevermore, you have it 
as long as you live here and in heaven. Joy is 
deeper than happiness. According to the mean- 
ing of the words, happiness depends much upon 
what happens to us; but joy does not depend 
upon circumstances. In one sense 'we can never 
he perfectly happy while in this world, for the 
sight of sin all around will make us sad; yet 
even here we can have joy. Joy is more than 
peace or rest, for it is active. 

“Fulness of joy is for those who are in Jesus’ 
presence. Howhere else is full joy to be found. 
Many do not have fulness of joy, even for a part 
of the time, for they are with Jesus so little. It 
should be far easier and pleasanter to be with 
him all the time, than it is to be with him a part 
of the time, tie is with us always, but we are 
apt to forget his presence. We become filled 
with our own thoughts, and with interest in 
things about us, rather than with him.” 

“IIow true that is,” Glenn remarked, in a 
meditative tone, as he paused in the reading. 
“And this absorption in other things, to the for- 
getfulness of him, will very soon lead into actual 
sin. And conscious sin brings condemnation, 
and this will always create a thick veil between 
the soul and Christ. How carefully we should 


140 


A Wee Lassie . 


cultivate a sense of his presence, for this will 
cause us to he especially watchful lest we do 
anything that will veil his blessed face from the 
gaze of faith.” 

“One of the sweetest facts connected with the 
‘charmed life/ about which the little booklet 
from which you are reading treats,” Keith has- 
tened to say, “is this: When one has so fully 
surrendered his life into God’s keeping that he 
begins to realize that Jesus does really abide in 
the inmost depths of his soul, through the power 
of the Holy Comforter, he soon learns the secret 
of getting any veil that his unbelief or thought- 
lessness toward Christ has brought between him- 
self and his Lord, absolutely out of the 
way.” 

Keith’s eyes were fixed on Mabel. It was be- 
cause he had seen a shadow cross her face at her 
brother’s words that had caused him to speak so 
promptly. 

“You mean — ?” she asked doubtfully, and 
paused. 

“I mean just this. He learns that, so soon as 
he discovers the veil, he swiftly repents in a mo- 
ment, of his infidelity. He also claims the 
cleansing blood ; believes in its power to wash 
away his defilement, and is restored to sweet 
fellowship, all in the space of a few seconds. 


A Wee Lassie . 


141 


There is no long period of mourning. No 
lengthy confession and self-accusation and con- 
demnation. He knows his Beloved — the One 
whom his soul adores — is waiting down in his 
soul, to blot out the infidelity, or even the sin — 
if it has gone thus far — as swiftly and as abso- 
lutely as though it had never existed. And not 
only so, but that Jesus is longing, out of the 
fulness of his great heart of love, again to mani- 
fest himself in his beauty to the eye of faith 
that is yearning to behold him.” 

“How I thank you for those words,” Mabel 
exclaimed, with a sigh of relief. “I have felt 
that I must repent a long time in order to be 
restored, for I so soon forget to watch for his 
presence when things and persons I greatly 
enjoy are about me. Now I see what you mean, 
and that it need not take me such a weary time 
to get back into his presence.” 

“And the habit of watching for his smile, even 
under circumstances that now draw away your 
attention, will grow on you as you faithfully 
seek to reach the climax of joy — that of ever 
abiding in his presence,” Keith said, charmed to 
note the radiant light in the fair girl’s counte- 
nance. “And now suppose we hear the balance 
of what your book has to say.” 

“All right,” and Glenn continued to read : 


142 


A Wee Lassie. 


“We should remember that though Jesus 
always sees and hears us, yet we may not be 
really with him. We may sit close by the side 
of another, and yet be far from that person, 
because our thoughts and feelings are not the 
same. We are truly in the presence of another 
only when we are one in spirit, feeling and. 
action. As you love Jesus, you think about 
things together with him, and act with loving 
thoughts of him; so it is that you live in his 
presence. 

“If, then, you want your joy to be full, be 
ever in the presence of Jesus; learn to think 
his thoughts, to love as he loves. You will then 
be truly living the charmed life. You will be 
in heaven while your body is in this world. 

“It is not possible to be with any one else in 
the way we can be with Jesus. We cannot find 
words to tell persons just how we feel; Jesus 
understands. Others cannot feel our feelings; 
Jesus can. They cannot be with us always; he 
was with us when it happened. ITe knows all 
about it, and he will be with us, too, through 
any trouble that comes out of it. They are not 
all-wise to direct us, all-loving to soothe us; 
he is.” 

“Those are certainly helpful thoughts,” Glenn 
said, as he laid the little volume aside. “Some 


A Wee Lassie . 


143 


time when I have leisure, I shall be glad to 
read it through.” 

“I have found it very precious,” Mabel re- 
sponded, as she raised her hand to her throat 
and pressed her fingers caressingly against her 
silver pin. The movement was an involuntary 
one, of which "she was not conscious. She soon 
added : “The reading and the conversation of 
this evening have given me a wonderful uplift 
in the spiritual realm. As Nancy once expressed 
herself to me when I was driving her through 
Huntsville in the phseton, ‘I feels plumb histed 
up- — mos’ zif I ware a settin’ on top o’ yon 
church -house steeple/ ” 

The gentle laughter which the last words pro- 
voked ended by Glenn remarking: “I, too, have 
received a fresh touch from the divine hand. 
Wee Lassie’s Elder Brother has been one in our 
midst to-night, in a very full sense.” 

“I like the title your little Lassie gave him — 
that of Elder Brother — exceedingly,” Keith re- 
marked. His eyes were shining with a softer 
lustre than usual, and his face glowed with 
happiness. 

“Yes, it forms such a simple and tangible 
home-tie between our hearts and his, that we are 
enabled to realize in a new sense the oneness 
he means to exist between himself and his peo- 


144 


A Wee Lassie . 


pie. And wee Lasie, I believe, realized his pres- 
ence with a fulness of which we did not dream 
until the very last,” was Glenn’s response. 

That evening lingered long in the memory of 
the three friends, and bound their hearts more 
closely together in the Divine One about whom 
they had read and conversed, than ever before. 

There are moments when the heart seems so 
receptive and responsive to the divine life that 
heaven really appears to open and flood — for a 
season — the awakened soul with the sweetness 
and glory of its perfumed air and un dimmed 
celestial sunshine. This night was one of those 
mystical seasons. 


/ 


CHAPTER XVII. 


Midnight Shadows. 



I ITE Convict Camp, to which Glenn Hilde- 


JL garde had made his visit of investigation 
several months previous to the present date of 
our story, was situated some distance south of 
Linwood. 

A glance bestowed on it at this moment dis- 
closes two facts. One is, that it is hidden away 
in one of the wildest regions of Alabama. The 
other, that it is a fitting spot in which to incar- 
cerate criminals. Mountainous peaks shut it in 
on every side until one has almost a feeling of 
suffocation as he thinks of being forced to pass 
any length of time within its narrow confines. 

A sleepy-looking creek winds its slow way 
through the hills, and as it reaches the vale 
where the camp is pitched, its motions become so 
sluggish, and its waters of so sombre a hue that 
one is constrained to feel that it has been made 
a partaker, through sympathy, of the dull de- 
spair which holds the large majority of the in- 
mates of the place in its relentless grasp. 


10 


146 


A Wee Lassie . 


The location of the camp was determined by 
the one consideration: the development of the 
coal mines at this -point. 

At the base of the mountain to the right of the 
camp are seen the long rows of coke ovens, with 
their fitful glare of fire and ever-ascending vol- 
ume of smoke and gas. So deadly are the nox- 
ious fumes from these ovens that the entire 
mountain-side against which they are placed 
present to the shrinking gaze only one vast pic- 
ture of death and desolation. Every vestige of 
green, every tender herb, blossoming plant and 
towering tree have shrivelled and withered 
under its blasting breath until only bare skele- 
tons, denuded of all sign of life, remain. 

The scene is desolate and depressing beyond 
the power of words to describe, and the young 
lady who now looks forth at the midnight 
hour from the open window of a small cottage 
perched high on the bluffs to the south of the 
camp, sighs as she whispers : “What a perfect 
picture of ‘Dante’s Inferno V Eo wonder the 
poor fellows down there in the camp have the 
feeling that hell itself can hardly offer them any- 
thing more horrible or ghastly. My God, have 
pity upon them ! Help me, even me, to carry to 
those famishing, perishing souls the waters of 
life!” * 


A Wee Lassie. 


147 


The whisper ends in a sob. For a moment 
she bows her face on the window ledge, and 
swift tears course down her cheeks. 

Then she brushes them hastily aside, raises 
her head and takes a lengthened survey of the 
scene before her. 

The long lines of leaping, flaring, dull red 
flame, with the over-hanging clouds of smoke, 
light up the valley with a lurid vividness that is 
almost startling. But the light is strange and 
uncanny, and only deepens the impression that 
one is gazing on some scene from which the veil 
has, for a moment, been brushed aside, found 
deep down in the regions of despair. 

At the present moment heavy masses of black 
clouds drape the sky. Not a star is visible. 
Nought but the flames, the smoke, the bare, bald 
mountain-side, the heavy shadows, where the 
weird light from the ovens does not penetrate, 
and the frowning vault o’er-arching all, can be 
seen. 

Agues Hudson’s father and mother are mis- 
sionaries in this camp. One single-hearted, 
God-fearing woman, a daughter of Alabama, 
had toiled and prayed, alone and unaided, for 
years; had visited legislature after legislature 
armed only with the need of the poor creatures 
confined within these camps, which are scattered 


148 


A Wee Lassie . 


all through her native State; and with an im- 
passioned sense of these needs on her heart and 
tongue, had labored and plead their cause until 
she had at last gained her wish, and a mission- 
ary has been appointed for each encampment. 

In Alabama, as in some other of her sister 
States, the iniquitous system still prevails of 
“leasing out” her convicts to companies and 
syndicates, to work in mines and quarries, as 
well as in other places where severe manuel 
labor is required. 

The death rate in these camps, with no ade- 
quate sanitary regulations, is sometimes appall- 
ing. 

In the one of which we are now writing, how- 
ever, great changes for the better have been 
wrought during the brief years, the missionaries 
have been stationed there, until now the health- 
rate, and atmosphere in all directions, is won- 
derfully improved. 

What self-sacrifice it had cost Mr. and Mrs. 
Hudson, who are of high birth, cultured asso- 
ciation and refined instincts, as well as of lib- 
eral education, to fill the post required of them, 
only God and their own hearts can tell. But 
the call had come to them as the voice of the 
Eternal, and this had been sufficient to stifle all 
their natural scruples, and cause them to enter 


A Wee Lassie . 


149 


joyfully the open door where the Divine Hand 
beckoned them. 

Agnes is their only daughter, and it was 
when, or after, she had paid what was intended 
to he at the time, merely a flying visit to her 
parents in their new field of labor, that any 
thought had been entertained of her sharing 
their home and mission. But her interest and 
sympathy for the boys she found in the camp 
had been so keenly aroused, and her desire to 
help them had become so intense, that her plead- 
ings to be allowed to remain and take charge 
of this branch of the work, had at last pre- 
vailed. 

For one year now she has taken entire over- 
sight of one of the night schools where only boys 
in their teens are admitted, those over this age 
being taught by her parents in a separate apart- 
ment. Her whole soul is in her work, and the 
Sabbath-school class over which she presides, 
where the same boys are her scholars, has be- 
come to her the sweetest portion of her life. 
Once and again she has seen young hearts so 
melted by the story of divine love that sin has 
been renounced, and the wayward feet turned 
Zion-ward. 

She has also become a potent factor in the 
hospital work, showing such ready skill in cheer- 


150 


A Wee Lassie . 


ing and helping the sick ones, of whom there are 
always a large number in ward, that her pres- 
ence is looked for by the poor unfortunates much 
as a burst of sunshine is welcomed on a dark 
and cloudy day by hearts bowed down in gloom 
and sorrow. 

At the present hour her heart is burdened 
for a man who is apparently at death’s door, and 
who is considered by the entire camp as being 
the most hardened offender among them. His 
age is about sixty, and the crimes charged 
against him are innumerable. His time of im- 
prisonment is for life, and up to the present 
moment all efforts to reach and win his heart 
have been unavailing. 

It is because her anxiety for this man has 
been too great to permit her to sleep, that we 
find her at the hour of midnight seated by her 
open window, gazing out over the lurid picture 
painted against the back-ground of the night, 
which has now become so familiar to her as to 
excite but a passing shudder. As she thus sits 
engaged in silent prayer, a low knock sounds 
on her door. She swiftly answers the summons, 
and finds her father standing without. 

“I felt sure you were not alseep, dear, so I 
came for you. Poor old Blue is sinking fast, 
and I hoped you might be able to reach him be- 


A Wee Lassie. 


151 


fore he passes into the stupor the doctor says 
will close his life. He will listen to yon as to 
no one else.” 

“I am glad to go with yon,” Agnes answers, 
hastily throwing a mantle about her shonlders. 

The sick man has been placed in a little shed- 
room, off to one side of the rude hospital build- 
ing, his condition being so critical as to demand 
separation from the other patients. 

His haggard face is drawn with pain as Agnes 
bends over him. He turns his head away from 
her, at first, but her gentle voice of sympathy at 
length causes him to turn toward her, saying, 
brokenly : a Yer s good ter come. But ye needn’t 
go ter talkin’ ter me ’bout God. I hates him 
now J is’ ez I alius telled ye I did, an’ I reckon 
he hates me. This yere pain he’s er putten onter 
me looks that er way.” 

In vain Agnes tells him of God’s love and 
pity, and of Christ’s death on the cross, that he 
— old man Blue — might become a sharer of his 
joy and blessedness. 

“Thet sounds all right fur sich ez hez er mind 
ter swaller hit. But old Blue Blazes larnt his 
lesson long afore ye wuz borned, an’ he’s goin’ 
ter swelter in ther pit, sho’, ef tlier be sich er 
place fur sich fellers as I be, what hates God 
wuss’n wuss ev’ry hour I lives.” 


152 


A Wee Lassie . 


The only name this man had ever given as 
belonging to him was that of “Blue Blazes.” 

“Hit fits me ’zackly, ’cordin’ ter ther par- 
son’s sarmints.” The convicts always alluded 
to Mr. Hudson as “the parson.” “I’s hed blue 
blazes from hell er-runnin’ through my heart 
ever sence I wuz horned, I reckon, an’ they’s 
thar now,” he had been wont to declare to his 
comrades before he was taken ill. Then he 
would add, with a hoarse laugh : “Don’ ye smell 
ther brimstone when ye comes ’bout me ?” 

This man has long been called the hardest 
case ever brought to the camp, and even his 
fellow-criminals have often shrank from him in 
horror. Oaths and blasphemy fill his conversa- 
tion, and it is only recently, since he has been 
brought to the hospital, that he has been careful 
to refrain from such language when Mr. and 
Mrs. Hudson, or Agnes, are present, 

Binding she can make no impression on his 
hardened heart, Agnes now kneels beside his cot, 
pouring out her soul in prayer to God. While 
no sound is heard, her moving lips betray to the 
sick man that she is interceding for him before 
the mighty One, whom he hates. This fact in- 
creases his restlessness, and this at length be- 
comes so marked that Mr. Hudson gently places 
his hand on his daughter’s shoulder, stooping to 


A Wee Lassie . 


153 


breathe into her ear: “Your presence, after all, 
seems to make him worse. I am sorry, but you 
have clone all that you can, and now it will be 
better that you retire. 1 seem to have lost all 
hope. Your coming, I felt, was the last chance. 
But we can both continue to pray.” 

Without a word she arises and stands, for a 
moment, gazing down on the pallid face before 
her. As she does so these words flash into her 
mind : “Whatsoever is bound on earth is bound 
in heaven,” immediately followed by others so 
plainly manifest to her mental vision that they 
seem written with letters of fire before her 
natural eyes: “And this is the confidence that 
we have in him, that if we ask anything accord- 
ing to his will, he heareth us. And if we know 
that he hear us, we know that we have the peti- 
tions that we desired of him.” 

Her face lights up with sudden joy, and she 
turns away saying in her heart: “I thank thee, 
blessed Saviour, for these promises. How I can 
hold on to thee for this man’s soul with con- 
fidence, for thy precious Word tells us that 
thou ‘wiliest not the death of any man,’ but that 
thou ‘wouldst have all men to be saved.’ ” 

She spends the remainder of the night beside 
her bed, sometimes on her knees, and again pros- 
trate on the rug beside it, pouring out her soul 


154 


A W ee Lassie . 


in supplication for old man Blue, with no 
shadow of doubt dimming her faith as to his 
ultimate salvation. 

As morning begins to pencil the east with 
rays of rosy light, she falls into a refreshing 
sleep from which she is arousedj two hours later, 
by hearing her father say in an adjoining room : 
“He is quiet and seems to be decidedly better. 
This is contrary to the doctor’s verdict, who said 
he would pass into a stupor toward morning, 
from which he would never arouse. I can but 
believe the change is in answer to prayer.” 

“F ather in heaven, how I thank thee,” 
Agnes breathes with smiling lips and shining 
eyes, as she proceeds to bathe her face and ar- 
range her disordered toilet. 

Her countenance holds a peace and joy that 
tell of a heart at perfect rest, and when she 
seats herself by the window to read her morning 
chapter, contrary to her usual custom of follow- 
ing a regular course, she turns to the book of 
Psalms and selects a pa?an of joyful praise over 
which she lingers a long time. 

The breakfast bell finds her thus engaged, and 
as she arises and places her Bible in its accus- 
tomed place on her table, she breaks forth into 
happy song, voicing the joy of her heart in the 
words : 


A Wee Lassie. 


155 


“Praise him, praise him, 

Jesus, our blessed Redeemer! 

Sing, O earth, his wonderful love proclaim; 

Hail him, hail him, highest archangel in glory; 

Strength and honor give to his holy name. 

Like a shepherd Jesus will guide his children; 

In his arms he carries them all day long; 

Praise him, praise him, tell of his excellent greatness ; 

Praise him, praise him ever in joyful song.” 

ITer cheery song and shining countenance 
seem almost out of place to the little group in 
the next room, as she joins them a moment 
iater. All are distressed over the approaching 
death of the hardened convict, and as they have 
not the key to her happiness, cannot understand 
her mood. But their confidence in her is such 
that they soon perceive that she must have re- 
ceived a fresh touch from the divine One who is 
ever abiding in their midst, and in consequence 
a gentle glow soon begins to steal about their 
own hearts, and hope for the sick man revives. 

Agnes is not a religious enthusiast, by any 
means, although her religion is not devoid of 
enthusiasm. Her basis of plain, simple common 
sense guards her from error and dangerous mys- 
ticism, and also gives to her spiritual life a 
practical bent which commends it to all with 
whom she is brought in contact. 

She is a firm believer in the indwelling pres- 
ence of Christ in the soul, through the power of 


15G 


A Wee Lassie . 


the Holy Spirit, and thus believing she is ever 
on the alert to know his will, and eager to fol- 
low in any path where he may want to lead her. 
Her present assurance, that it is the will of God 
that old man Blue shall be speedily saved, might 
seem to some a species of fanaticism. 

But such is not the case. She has simply 
been made conscious that the truth of the words 
spoken by Jesus to his disciples, and through 
them to all believers throughout the ages, that 
“when he, the Comforter, shall come, he will 
bring all things I have told you to your remem- 
brance, ?? has been exemplified to her, by giving 
to her, at the very moment her faith needed it, 
the promise of Holy Writ, that her prayer for 
the convict had been heard. 

And if heard then granted. And this she 
believed and claimed on the authority of the 
Word of God as found in Mark xi. 24 (R. V.), 
“ Therefore, I say unto you, all things whatso- 
ever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye have 
received them, and ye shall have them.” 

Also 1 John v. 14, 15, which has already been 
quoted, but will be repeated here: “And this is 
the boldness which we have toward him, that, if 
we ask anything according to his will, he heareth 
us ; and if we know that he hear us whatsoever 
we ask we know that we have the petitions that 
we desired of him.” 


A Wee Lassie . 


157 


Thus, on a purely Scriptural basis, followed 
by an inward assurance, the seal of the Spirit 
of Jesus to her faith, she believes beyond doubt, 
that the sick man will be pardoned and saved be- 
fore he dies. From this assurance springs her 
joy and her song of praise. 

May some reader of these lines learn, just 
now, her steps of faith, which will ever bring 
certain victory in prayer, if followed in the 
Spirit. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


The Morning Breaks. 

I N the missionary’s household was a godly 
woman, a distant cousin of Mrs. Hudson’s, 
who took upon herself the entire burden of the 
housekeeping, thus leaving the others free to 
give their time to the convicts. This woman, 
Mrs. Kate Torrey by name, was a widow, and 
her only child, little Millie, a tot of some three or 
four summers, was the pet and delight of the 
home-circle. The little one was bright and amia- 
ble in disposition and beautiful to look upon, 
the expression of her countenance being remark- 
ably sweet and engaging. 

For obvious reasons the child had never been 
permitted to visit the camp, but on the morning 
of which we write, following Agnes Hudson’s 
night of prayer for old man Blue, as they 
gathered about the breakfast table Mrs. Torrey 
remarked: “I am so glad to know old Blue is 
better. God may yet save him if we can only 
have faith.” 

“I want to take Millie over with me to the 
hospital this morning when I go to visit him. 


A Wee Lassie. 


159 


He once told me lie had had a daughter, in his 
early manhood, who died when she was very 
young. You will be willing for her to go with 
me, will you not, Cousin Kate ? She need see 
no one hut Blue, and the boy who waits upon 
him.” As she asked the question Agnes gazed 
expectantly into Mrs. Torrey’s face. 

The mother hesitated, but Millie at once ex- 
claimed : “Es. Me want to do see poo’ sick man. 
Millie tarry sick man some fowers.” 

This settled it, and soon after breakfast, with 
her little hands tightly clasping some fragrant 
white lilies and blue violets, the child trotted 
happily along by her cousin’s side, prattling 
incessantly of the a poo’ sick man” she was going 
to visit. 

Blue’s countenance looked less haggard than 
during the night, but the frown which habitually 
rested upon it was still there — even more pro- 
nounced, Agnes saw with a feeling of dismay, 
than usual. 

He scarcely noticed her pleasantly-spoken 
greeting, and at once turned his face away from 
her toward the wall. He had not seen Millie, 
who, suddenly rendered timid by her new sur- 
roundings, hung behind her cousin, peering out 
from her sheltering skirts toward the bed. 

Agnes„ stooped and whispered a few words into 


160 


A Wee Lassie . 


the child’s ear. The next instant, with her mo- 
mentary shrinking swallowed up in compassion 
for the sufferer, she advanced close to the bed- 
side, saying: “Here’s some fowers for ’ou, poo’ 
sick man. Millie sowey for ’ou.” 

If an electric shock had struck him the man 
could not have been more startled. He turned 
his face swiftly toward the child and gasped 
out : “Whar did ye come frum ? What is yore 
name ? ” 

For an instant she shrank away, frightened 
by the sight of his stern, emaciated countenance. 
But the next moment a smile curved Blue’s 
lips — the first Agnes had ever seen there — and 
his voice grew almost tender as he repeated: 
“What is yore name ? Whar did ye come frum ?” 

Reassured by the smile and the tone, the child 
answered: “I’s Millie. Me turned f’om home. 
Here’s some fowers for ’ou.” 

She laid the lilies and violets on the pillow, 
but he did not seem to heed them. He whis- 
pered: “I had a Millie onct. And she looked 
like ye duz. But God took her, an’ I hev hated 
him ever sence.” 

“Dod loves ’ou, poo’ sick man. ’Ou mus’ love 
Dod. Millie loves Dod; an’ me loves ’ou too, 
tause ’ou is sick.” 

Tears began to roll slowly down old Blue’s 


A Wee Lassie . 


161 


sunken cheeks. He reached out and took one of 
the child’s soft little hands in his own. She did 
not withdraw it, but again said : “Millie sowey 
for ’ou. J esus sowey, too.” 

“Why did he take my Millie away from me, 
then? Ef he hed a left her wi’ me I mought 
hev ben a good man. Oh ! God, if I could only 
see her onct mo’ !” 

This was the moment for which Agnes had 
waited. She quickly said: “Jesus wants you 
to see her. He has kept her for you, safe and 
pure and beautiful; more beautiful than when 
you last saw her. But you would, want to be 
changed — made different — before you met her, 
would you not ?” 

“Yes, yes. She would be afeared o’ me, now.” 
Then he fixed his eyes on Millie’s face and said, 
almost fiercely : “I would be willin’ to be skinned 
alive ef so doin’ I mought be made ez I ust ter 
be when she would put her leetle arms about my 
neck an’ say : ‘Me loves you, heaps an’ heaps, 
daddy.’ ” 

Very- gently Agnes told him in a few simple 
words, how God wanted to change him and make 
his soul pure and beautiful with Jesus Christ’s 
own beauty and purity. 

“Talk to him about hit,” he said, as large 
tears kept rolling down his cheeks. “I don’ seem 
11 


162 


A Wee Lassie . 


to kotcti on, but ye kin mek him understand, 
pr’aps, how I’s willin’ to do anythin’, anythin’ 
a-tall he mouglit ax, ef on’y I kin see my leetle 
Millie onct agin.” 

Agnes whispered a few words to Millie, who 
instantly dropped on her knees by the bedside, 
folded her little hands, and said: “Dear Dod, 
poo’ sick man wants to see his ’ittle dirl. Pease 
make him dood, so he tan see her, an’ tan live 
wiv ’ou in heaven. For dear Jesus sake. 
Amen.” 

And then Agnes poured out her heart to God 
in a prayer that reached the loving heart above, 
and brought a speedy answer. 

Scarcely had she ceased when Blue burst out : 
“I kin never see her; nur him nuther. Never. 
I’s ez black ez hell, an’ he wouldn’t never let sich 
a feller ez me come ’bout him.” 

“But he himself says: ‘Though your sins be 
as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.’ The 
blacker you see yourself to be the quicker he 
can make you white.” 

But he answered sorrowfully: “I don’ seem 
to see hit that a-way. Ef I had lived sort o’ 
decent-like, he m ought ha’ let me in. But ye 
don’ know how black an’ low-down filthy I be.” 

“You would never care to take a bath, would 
you, unless you felt you needed it ? You don’t 


A Wee Lassie . 


163 


wash your hands, do you, unless you see they 
are soiled ?” As Agnes asked this question, her 
heart was pleading with God to give this con- 
victed soul the light he needed. 

He pondered a while before he replied: “I 
jis’ seem to git a sort o’ glimpse-like o’ what ye 
mean.” Then, gazing into Millie’s wistful face, 
he again cried: “I’d be willin’ — -yes I would — - 
not on’y to he skinned alive, but to die one orful 
death, ef so bein’ I mought hope to see my leetle 
Millie onct agin, a-layin’ smilin’ an’ purty in 
his arms, ez ye says' she is a-layin’ to-day.” 

“But he, Jesus Christ the Son of God, loved 
you so much that he died in your place, and now, 
all that you have to do is to believe this. Tell 
him you thank him, and ask him to make your 
soul as white as his precious blood can wash it. 
It is only as you are thus washed and made clean 
that you can ever see him in peace, and be with 
your child.” Then, seeing the emotion that 
mastered him, she added : “He — our loving 
Jesus — is waiting right here this minute, to for- 
give all your dreadful sins and to blot them out, 
wash them away, where no one can ever find 
them again. Can’t you trust him just now? 
II« says, ‘Him that cometh unto me I will in 
nowise cast out.’ ” 

“But how’s a feller ez mired in sin ez I be, to 


164 


A W ee Lassie . 


come ? Wouldn’ he jis’ nachully topple me over 
ef I dared show myse’f to him ? Thet’s jis’ what 
he ort to do, ’cos’ I’s cussed him an’ hated him 
mos’ all my life.” 

“When wicked and cruel men spit on him and 
reviled him, and finally nailed him to the cross, 
he asked his Father to forgive them. He loved 
you so much that he suffered that terrible death 
in order that you might be forgiven and made 
pure and spotless, and live in heaven^ with him 
and with your little Millie forever and forever. 
Do you think you could ever curse him again, 
Blue, now that you begin to see how long he has 
loved you, and how he has kept your Millie safe 
in his arms, waiting for you to come and claim 
her from him, all these years since she left you ?” 

The old man was now sobbing. Little Millie, 
in childish awe and sympathy, leaned over on 
the bed, and her tears mingled with his, as she 
said : “Don’ cwy. Dod will let ’ou live wiv ’ou 
’ittle dirl if ’ou is dood, ’tause Dod loves ’ou.” 

At these words Blue broke out with : “O Man 
what died fur me ! won’t ye liolp me now ? I’s 
plumb sorry I’s been so orful mean an’ ugly. 
I won’t never cuss ye no mo’ ; no I won’t, so 
holp me God ! I never knowed afore how much 
ye keered fur me. Ef ye kin mek up yore min’ 
to wash sich a black ’un ez I be — ez black ez hell 


A Wee Lassie . 


165 


itse’f — why, Fll spend iny las’ breath a-thankin’ 
ye. An’ I’ll tell the boys ’bout ye, too. Tliey’s 
heared me a-cussin’ ye day in an’ day out, an’ 
they shell hear me a-praisin’ ye, if ye’ll jis’ be 
good to me now.” 

lie was silent a moment, and then began 
afresh: “I knows I don’ desarve nuthin’ but 
yore frown. But I’s done dr apt down in a deep 
hole, pears-like, an’ onless you’s a-min’ to lift 
me out, I’s done fur. Holp me, God ! Do holp 
me, fur the sake o’ the Man what died in my 
place !” 

Even as the cry left his lips, the heavens 
parted — Christ breathed on him — and the un- 
speakable peace of God dropped into his soul. 
Old Blue had become “a new creature in Christ 
J esus.” 

A shout of joy, of relief, of thanksgiving, a 
shout never before heard from his lips, broke 
from him. It reached far out beyond the room 
in which he was lying, and speedily brought both 
Mr. and Mrs. Hudson from the main hospital 
building, to learn the cause. 

Ho verbal explanation was needed, for the 
transformation in Blue was so marked that these 
godly missionaries well understood the marvel- 
lous work which grace had wrought in the old 
man’s soul. 


166 


A Wee Lassie. 


In his rapture over the forgiveness God had 
granted him, he seemed for the time to have for- 
gotten all about his child, and his desire to again 
behold her. His vision of Jesus, or, as he ever 
afterwards named him, “The Man what died fur 
me,” blotted out all else from his mind, and left 
him nothing more to desire. 

His joy was pathetic, and those who had here- 
tofore only seen him in his sullenness and sin, 
could hardly recognize him as being the same 
man. 

“Ye looks jis’ like I alius ’lowed the angels 
looks,' ” he at last said, raising his happy eyes 
to the faces gathered about his bed. Then he 
placed his hand on Millie’s head, and added: 
“An’ this yere leetle ’un air beautifuller than 
ye all.” 

Some moments later, after Mrs. Hudson had 
thoughtfully given him a cup of gruel, of which 
he drank eagerly, he added: “I mus’ sho’ git 
strong ’nuflf now to hev a meetin’ wi’ the boys, 
an’ tell ’em ’bout him — the Man what died fur 
me. Ef he kin wash sich a plumb black ’un ez 
I wuz, tell I feels ez white ez the snow I’s seed 
many a time on top o’ the hills, where nuthin’ 
couldn’t never sile hit nur mek hit black and 
gritty, why, he kin wash the las’ one o’ them 
ontill they feels the same way.” 


A Wee Lassie . 


167 


He soon after fell into a refreshing sleep, 
and Agnes and Millie stole noiselessly out, their 
mission ended. 

If Agnes Hudson had ever felt that her life 
was circumscribed and dreary since she had 
chosen the convict camp as her home and field 
of labor, the feeling dropped away from her as 
she passed out of that room. A joy so intense 
thrilled and filled her that she seemed to under- 
stand what Jesus meant when he said to his dis- 
ciples: “These things have I spoken unto you, 
that my joy might remain in you, and that your 
joy might be full.” 

“Father, how I thank thee for ever permitting 
me to come to this camp,” she whispered deep 
down in her soul. “And for using me— even 
me — who am less than the least of all thy chil- 
dren, to point out to poor old Blue the way of 
life. Father, use him to win some other soul to 
thee before thou dost call him hence. I ask this 
for thy glory, and in the name of Jesus. Amen.” 


CHAPTER XIX. 


Bluf/s Testimony. 

B LUE’S strength rallied rapidly, until he 
was able, at the end of a few days, to sit 
up for two or three hours daily. ITe exhibited 
an eager wish to hold “a meetin’ wi’ the boys,” 
as he expressed it, and his whole thought more 
and more centered on having this desire real- 
ized. 

Agnes had never met the large body of the 
convicts, her work being entirely confined to the 
boys and to the hospital. But Blue insisted that 
she must be present at his meeting ; so arrange- 
ments were at last made for the school to be 
omitted on a certain Friday night, and for all 
to gather in the large main room, where those 
who did not care to join the schools, spent their 
evenings. 

Mr. Hudson had at first thought to have the 
meeting on Sunday, but Blue himself suggested 
that it would be wiser to allow the usual services 
to be held on that day, saying: “Eur ye kin read 
the Bible to ’em, and tell ’em how to live right, 
whilst I kin on’y tell ’em ’bout my bein’ washed 


A Wee Lassie . 


169 


clean by the Man what died fur me. An’ I kin 
hev my say mos’ any night, whilst ye kin on’y 
git ’em together fur preachin’ on Sunday.” 

This seemed sensible, so his idea was carried 
out, and the men were told that Blue, who was 
now strong enough to walk to the main building 
by leaning on Mr. Hudson’s arm, wanted to 
meet every man and boy in the stockade in the 
large room on that particular Friday night. 

Great was the feeling of expectation among 
the convicts, for the boy who waited on Blue 
had told wonderful things of the change wrought 
in him. 

“ ’Stid o’ cussin’ ez he ust ter do, he’s mos’ 
alius er whisperin’ ter hisse’f ez happy ez er big 
sunflower. ’B else he’s tryin’ ter sing some o’ 
them hymns Miss Hudson sings ter ther fellers 
in ther hosp’tal. Suthin’s done fotched him 
’round, sho’, till lie’s like er nuther feller.” 

Various speculations were rife among the 
men concerning the change that had taken place 
in him, but the more general one was that he 
had “done gone crazy.” 

The attendant physician of the camp, who 
was a young man, and who, for the sake of the 
experience thus gained, was content to live near 
the stockade, heard of the meeting and evinced 
sufficient curiosity to attend it. He had been 


170 


A Wee Lassie . 


puzzled by the change he observed in the old 
man, and as he had no means by which he could 
fathom it, he thought he would listen to Blue’s 
own explanation. He was leaning toward in- 
fidelity, having read Ingersol, and imbibed some 
of the infidel’s teachings about Christianity, yet 
his heart was restless and dissatisfied. 

Blue’s face was shining with happiness as he 
entered the room, leaning on the missionary’s 
arm. A chair had been placed for him facing 
the men, and others close by him were waiting 
to be filled by Mr. and Mrs. Hudson and 
Agnes. 

The young lady felt a pang so keen and sharp 
pierce through her heart as she looked over the 
faces before her, that, for a moment, her com- 
posure was shaken. Some of the countenances 
were so brutal and repulsive that she turned her 
gaze from them with a shudder. But many fine 
faces caught her attention — youthful faces, 
bearing no mark of the criminal on the clear, 
open brow. She recalled something she had 
once heard her father say, and her heart as- 
sented to its truth as she looked about her. The 
words were these : 

“The worst criminals are not always those in 
the penitentiary. Those who have not been 
caught are often the most desperate and guilty, 


A Wee Lassie. 


171 


and many a man is behind the bars, who, with 
half a chance, would have been a noble fellow.” 

As these thoughts passed through her mind, 
her father, at Blue’s request, began a hymn. 
Many of the men joined in the singing, and it 
was interesting to note the heartiness with which 
they did so. The members of the schools were 
nightly trained in music, and this had proven 
one of the greatest blessings that had come to 
them through the labors of the missionaries. 

As the last note died away Agnes was, for a 
moment, rendered pale and speechless by Blue 
saying: “Miss Agnes air a-goin’ now to talk 
to the Man what died fur me an’ fur you. An’ 
I wish ev’ry one on ye would j is’ drap onto yore 
knees while she tells him ’bout us.” 

Bor an instant Agnes was silent. Then she 
said, in a low voice : “Let my father lead in 
prayer.” 

“In cose the parson air a-goin’ to,” was Blue’s 
ready response. 

A few of the men knelt as Mr. Hudson began 
to pray, and all of the boys at once took the po- 
sition requested. 

A solemn silence stole over the room as the 
missionary’s earnest appeal went up that a spe- 
cial blessing should rest on Blue while he testi- 
fied to what the grace of God had wrought in his 


172 


A Wee Lassie . 


soul, and also on the men, that they might be 
filled with a desire to obtain a similar precious 
experience. 

“That’s a squar’ talk, straight to the pint, an’ 
I knows God A’mighty hez done heerd it,” was 
Blue’s comment, given with smiling lips, as the 
invocation ended. 

Another short hymn was sung, and then Blue 
arose and turned toward Agnes with the request : 

“Now, Miss Agnes, it air yore turn to talk to 
the Man what died fur you an’ fur me. Ax him 
to try hard to git holt o’ some o’ these fellers’ 
hearts like he got holt o’ mine. An’ tell him 
not to turn ’em loose till they’s plumb sick o’ sin, 
an’ ready to sarve him all the rest o’ ther days.” 

Then he faced the men and said: “Jis’ drap 
onto yore knees, boys, won’t ye, whilst she’s 
a-pleadin’ ’fore God fur ye ?” 

Quite a number knelt in response to this re- 
quest, and Agnes, with womanly timidity, began 
to pray. At first her voice was low and tremu- 
lous, and only those nearest her caught her 
words. But as she proceeded, she forgot her 
surroundings, and such a petition, a cry for 
souls, went up as no one in the room, with the 
exception of her father and mother and Blue, 
had ever before heard from human lips. 

The Spirit of God came down as she prayed, 


A Wee Lassie . 


173 


and hovered over the encampment, and several 
of the men began furtively to wipe their eyes 
with their shirt sleeves. When she ended, the 
young physician, who was seated in a corner by 
himself, and who was sitting bolt upright when 
she began, was leaning forward with his face 
hidden in his hands. 

“Thet ar’s a good beginning” Blue remarked, 
with a satisfied smile, as he looked around over 
the room. Then he began and told, in his crude 
language, about the wonderful change that God 
had wrought in his soul. 

“Ye all knows what a black cuss I ware, an’ 
how I hated the very name o’ God A’wmighty. 
But ye cayn’t know how liell-black my heart 
ware. I didn’t know hit myse’f tell he, the Man 
what died fur me, begun to git close to me. I 
jis’ thought I would die, an’ I ’lowed I drter die 
an’ drap down into the very hottest corner o’ hell 
fur livin’ ez I lied ben a-doin’ mos’ all my life, 
an’ a-cussin’ him, the Man what loved me ’nuff 
to die fur me. 

“Boys, hit jis’ got miss an’ wuss, an’ I ’lowed 
thar wasn’t nuthin’ in all the univarse what 
could wash my black an’ filthy heart clean. Miss 
Agnes, she tried to show r how ’t wuz, but I 
couldn’ seem to kotch on. I jis’ seemed a-sinkin’ 
down, down into one black hole what had nary 
bottom; an’ I jis’ cried out fur God to holp me 


174 


A Wee Lassie . 


an’ liff me out ef he could mek up his min’ to 
holp sich a hell-desarvin’ feller ez I seed myse’f 
to be.” 

Blue paused a moment, and great heads of 
perspiration rolled down his face. It was plain 
that he was again living over the experience of 
which he was telling. The men were leaning 
forward on their benches, their hearts stirred 
and held by some invisible power that caused 
even the boldest among them to cower and quail 
under the old man’s words. 

When he again spoke there was a ring in his 
voice which had not before been there. He said : 
“Boys, jis’ ez I cried out, ez I tolt ye ’bout doin’, 
an’ jis’ ez I ware makin’ up my min’ thet I ware 
too low-down filthy an’ mean fur God to trouble 
hisse’f ’bout me, the Man what died fur me 
totched 'me. I f eeled his totch ez plain ez I ever 
felt a hand totch me in my life. Oh! I cayn’t 
tell ye ’bout hit. I wisht I mought. But ez 
his hand ware laid onto my head I feeled suthin’ 
warm an’ comfortin’-like, jis’ a-streamin’ all over 
me an’ all inside o’ me.” 

He paused an instant, and his face shone with 
such a glow of happiness that two of the worst 
men before him, unable to bear the sight, got up 
and walked out of the room. 

Blue’s eyes filled with tears as he saw them 
depart. 


A Wee Lassie . 


175 


“I wisht they hadn’t runned away frum him,” 
he said. “He ware a-seekin’ of ’em jis’ ez he 
cumed arter me.” 

Then he added, and as he proceeded, the light 
which had seemed to die out as the men with- 
drew, again mantled his face with a glow that 
was quite marvellous : “Ez the comfortin’ feelin’ 
got deeper an’ deeper into my heart, I knowed 
I ware bein’ washed clean. I didn’ know how 
’twuz done, nuther do I onderstand hit to-night. 
All I knowed wuz that suthin’ warm an’ com- 
fortin’-like wuz a-goin’ all through me, an’ 
wherever hit went hit washed me clean. 

“An’ boys, I’s clean to-night. The Man what 
died fur me hez looked arter me ever sence that 
day. He hez made hit his bis’ness to keep me 
clean. I jis’ knowed I ware no ’count, an’ I 
couldn’ do nuthin’, nohow; so I jis’ kep’ lookin’ 
to him ev’ry blessed minnit. An’ I tolt him 
what a mizable, no ’count feller I be, an’ onless 
he kep’ close by me the devil would git his 
clutches onto me ag’in, sho’. 

“But he’s done kep’ me, boys, an’ I feels ez 
clean to-night, a-most, pears-like, ez I shell feel 
when I gits into heaven. An’ I mos’ feels ez 
how I’s got thar a’ready, though my ole carcas 
air still here in this stockade. 

“I hed a leetle gal, onct, boys, an’ she died 
when she ware jis’ three year ole. I hated God 


176 


A Wee Lassie . 


arter he tuk her frum me, ’cause she ware the 
on’y bein’ on earth what loved me. My wife hed 
done gone off wi’ another feller an’ leff the baby 
wi’ me, an’ I jis’ nachally made a idol out’n 
her. Wal, when Miss Agnes fust tolt me I 
mought see my leetle Millie ag’in ef I ware 
made clean, so’s I could git in whar she stays, 
my heart mos’ broke wi’ longin’ to git her into 
my arms ag’in.” 

Blue here paused and looked earnestly around 
on his hearers. Tears were rolling down many 
rough faces. One man was sobbing. Blue sin- 
gled him out, and said : 

“Yas, Tim, ye knows jis’ how I felt, fur 
ye’s done hearn the clods o’ dirt a-rattlin’ 
down onto yer leetle boy, same as I hearn 
’em a-drappin’ onto my pore Millie’s coffin. 
An’ ev’ry clod made my heart feel lonesomer 
an’ lonesomer, same ez they made yourn 
feel. But listen, Tim. When he came to me 
t’other day, the Man what died fur ye, an’ fur 
me, I ’peared to lose sight o’ my leetle gal. I 
wuz so tuk up wi’ him; an’ his love seems to 
me to-night to be sich a wondoful, condescendin’ 
sort o’ love, an’ hit jis’ wrops me all about on til 
I feels so satafied an’ comfort’ble like, thet I 
don’ studdy much ’bout Millie. I knows I shell 
see her ’cause he’s got her safe wi’ him, but I 
’pears to be a-studyin’ mo’ ez how I kin git ye 


A Wee Lassie . 


177 


boys to find him like I’s done found him, then 
I be ’bout meetin’ the chile. 

“Boys, don’ ye want to find him to-night ? 
Tim, lad, don’ ye? He’s a-holdin’ yore Jimmy 
safe in his arms fur ye, awaitin’ fur ye to come 
to him to git cleaned up, so’s ye kin see the leetle 
feller onct mo’.” 

Old Blue arose to his feet as he thus spoke, 
and in his earnestness held out his tremulous 
hand toward the man whom he thus ad- 
dressed. 

The convict, who was a “lifer,” as the men 
term those whose sentence is for life, slowly 
arose, stepped forward and clasped the old 
man’s out-stretched hand, saying: “Deed I duz, 
Blue. But thar’s nary chance fur me. I’s done 
gone too fur ter be turned back.” 

“Ye hain’t. goned ez fur ez I hed, Tim. Ef 
I could be headed off frum hell, ez I ware 
headed off, an’ a slice o’ heaven drapt down into 
my soul like the Man what died fur me hez done 
drapt hit down, he kin do ez much fur ye,” 

Then Blue turned and beckoned to Agnes to 
come and talk with the man. As she moved 
quickly forward Mr. Hudson told the others 
they might all stand, and those who cared to do 
so might come forward and shake hands with 
Blue. 


12 


178 


A Wee Lassie . 


Many of them gathered around him, and it 
was pathetic to hear him urge them, one after 
another, to “come to the Man what died fur me 
an’ fur you, an’ let him clean ye up, inside an’ 
out, so’s ye kin bar to stan’ in his presence on 
t’other side o’ the river.” 

The young physician came behind the others, 
and when the convicts had stepped back from 
the old man, he went up to him, and as he took 
his outstretched, tremulous hand, he said: “I 
have listened to your words to-night with the 
deepest interest. I believe everything you have 
told' us. I knew you before this change came 
to you, and I can see that nothing short of a 
supernatural power could have done the work 
I see has been wrought. I was a skeptic when 
I came in here to-night. Now I am glad to 
avow myself a believer in God, and in his Son 
Jesus Christ. I am sure one reason I imbibed 
infidelity so easily was because I have never 
before met any one who lived as I thought a man 
would have to live if he had really met God as 
you say you have met him.” 

Blue’s face was shining with joy as he lis- 
tened to these words, yet the tears kept dropping 
down his cheeks. 

“I hopes, Doctor, ye’ll soon come to b’lieve in 
him fur yorese’f, an’ ’cause ye’s done felt his 


A Wee Lassie. 


179 


totcli onto yore head an’ in yore heart ez I hez 
felt hit, an’ not jis’ ’cause ye ’lows thet what I 
done telt ye here to-night air true,” was all he 
said, as he turned to see what had become of 
Tim. 

ITe found the convict on his knees, with Agnes 
on one side of him and Mr. Hudson on the other. 
One of the younger of the boys was kneeling by 
a chair not far away, intently listening to Mrs. 
Hudson, who was trying to point his hungry, 
seeking heart to Christ. 

They did not linger long, for it was time the 
men were at rest, but before they separated Tim 
had promised Blue that he never would give 
up, now that he had made a start, until he had 
found the same comfort and satisfaction the 
older man testified to experiencing. 

“How I’s plumb ready to go ef the Man what 
died fur me wants to call me,” Blue announced 
cheerfully, as he reached his little room. 

Ho one thought much of the words, at the 
moment, for he was so much better that Mr. 
Hudson hoped he might live for months, and he 
craved the influence of his altered life over the 
men. 

Mrs. Hudson and Agnes bade him a kind 
good night, and went at once to their cottage. 
Mr. Hudson passed on into the hospital to look 
after some of the sick ones, and, a half hour later, 


180 


A Wee Lassie. 


put his head inside the door of the old man’s 
room, saying: “Good night, Blue. This has 
been a good evening’s work. Some of the re- 
sults will meet us over on the other shore, I have 
not a doubt.” 

“Good-bye, parson. I’s — a,-goin’. Tell — 
Miss — Agnes — the — Man — what — died 
for — me — hez — done — come — an’ — I’s 
a-follerin’ — him. Hit’s — all — right. He’s 
done — totehed — me — ag’in.” 

The missionary stepped quickly to the side 
of the bed. Even as he reached him the convict 
gave a sigh, a gasp, and his soul passed out to 
dwell forever more in the presence of the Man 
who died for him. 

Many of the convicts shed tears of real sorrow 
over the old man’s grave, and very gentle were 
the hands that lowered him to his last resting 
place. He was buried in a picturesque spot not 
far distant from the encampment, and Mr. Hud- 
son, at an early date, placed an iron fence 
around the tomb. 

Humanly speaking, it would have been much 
better for Blue to have lived and let his newly- 
found light shine out into the dark corners of 
the stockade, blessing his fellow-convicts, both 
by testimony and life. But probably God saw 
that it was best for his mission to be an exceed- 
ingly brief one, and so took him at once to glory. 


CHAPTER XX. 


What's in a Name ? 

Now, hush er bye baby! 

Ther angels du keep 
Er singin’ and wobblin’ 

My darlin’ ter sleep; 

Don’ frown up yer face; 
Yer’s in ther right place, 

An’ ther's nuthin’ to skeer at, 
So why sh’d yer weep?” 



O sang Nancy Welldon as she sat in her 


doorway, crooning her original song to the 
child that lay peacefully sleeping across her 


lap. 


Crates sat astride a log before the open door, 
and as he listened to his sister-in-law’s primitive 
lullaby, he smiled. Nancy called it grinning. 
In answer to her sharp inquiry : “What yer grin- 
ning er-bout, Crates?” the boy said: “I ware 
on’y er-wonderin’ ef ther babby would’n be 
proper glad ef ther angels yers er-singin’ ’bout 
would go erway home an’ leave him erlone.” 

“I don’ see no sense in what yer savin’,” 
Nancy replied, vigorously trotting the infant, 
who, aroused by the cessation of the song and the 


182 


A Wee Lassie . 


sound of the rather sharp voices, squirmed rest- 
lessly. 

“Don 5 yer? Wal, tlier’s on’y one kind o’ 
angels he’s er-hearin’ sing ’bout him jis’ now, an’ 
tliey’s skeeters. An’ ef they’s er-biten him ez 
fierce-like ez they’s er-goin’ fur me, I don’ blame 
him fur frownin’, nur fur cryin’, nuther.” 

As he spoke the boy arose, yawned, and went 
around the house toward the highway. 

^Mancy glanced after him with a smile curving 
the corners of her mouth. 

“Crates air no fool, ef he air er ill ’un,” she 
muttered. “An’ he’s sho’ changin’-like sence he’s 
done tuk up so wi’ Miss Mabel. P’raps, arter 
all, he’ll grow ter be er likely sort o’ man, though 
I duz ’low he’ll alius be er pow’ful weak ’un 
when hit comes ter keepin’ his temper down.” 

She arose and placed the sleeping child on the 
bed, taking care to shield his face from the mos- 
quitoes by laying a piece of old netting over him. 
She smiled again, as she did so, whispering to 
herself : a Wlio but Orates would er thought 
’bout skeeters bein’ ther on’y angels ther leetle 
babby’s er-hearin’ singin’ erbout him ? They duz 
sing, though, sho’. An’ they kin bite monstrous 
hard fur sich leetle fellers. ’Pears like they’s 
more pestersome then I hev ever seed ’em afore. 
P’raps hits ’cause hits been er-rainin’ so much 


4 Wee Lassie . 


183 


sence ther sun hez done cros’t ther line. Wonder 
what sort o’ line hit be, an’ why hit alius hez ter 
cross over jis’ ’zactly on sich er day ?” 

This question seemed to linger with her, and 
as she busied herself about her household duties 
she continued, as was her habit when alone, to 
talk aloud : 

“Hit don’ stand ter reason thet enny feller 
hez done gone up inter ther sky ter find out 
what ther sun air er-doin’. How’s they ter know, 
then, ’bout hit er-crossin’ ary line ? I done 
watched — fur quite er spell — t’other day, when 
Miss Mabel ’lowed ter me that ther Eeker- 
knocks — ez she called hit — ware er-comin’ that 
very day. An’ I did’n see no line, ’tall. Huthin’ 
but er line o’ black clouds, an’ I kin see them 
mos’ enny time when hit air er-goin’ ter rain.” 

She at length settled down over a piece of sew- 
ing, and as her needle flew in and out of the 
material from which she was fashioning a gar- 
ment for the baby, her thoughts seemed to keep 
time with its rapid movements. 

“Wonder whar Crates hez gone ter? Sence 
lie’s er-tryin’ ter be kinder good-like, an’ not so 
ill ez he use ter be, I sorter misses him when 
he gits out’n sight. But law sakes ! I’se got ter 
git over thet feelin’, sho’, fur ther school air 
goin’ ter begin ther fust o’ nex’ month, an’ 


184 


A Wee Lassie. 


Crates ’lows he air er-goin’ ter be ther fust boy 
enter ther place. God air monstrous good ter 
him, sho’, ter hev give him sich er awful kind 
friend ez Miss Mabel be ter him.” 

If one were disposed to credit the old saying 
that “when one talks of the angels he is sure to 
hear the rustling of their wings,” the present 
occasion might offer proof as to its truth, for 
just as the last words left Haney’s lips the sound 
of horses’ hoofs were heard, and the next mo- 
ment Mabel Hildegarde herself, accompanied 
by a smart-looking negro boy as groom, drew 
rein before the cabin door. 

Her entrance into the dingy room seemed to 
bring a glow of sunshine across its sombre color- 
ing, and Haney greeted her with a face that be- 
tokened unalloyed appreciation of the visit. 

After greetings had been exchanged, and the 
welfare of the baby inquired into, Mabel said : 
“I have ridden down to see if we cannot get 
Crates to come to us at once. That is,” and she 
gazed earnestly into Haney’s face, “if you will 
not feel timid about staying here alone.” 

“What sh’d I feel timid erbout, I sh’d like 
ter know ? Ilain’t I been er-stayin’ here erlone, 
’cept when Hit ware er-livin’ an’ er makin’ 
moosic fur me ter work by, fur mos’ four year, 
clf’n on ? Crates, he air been er-workin’ wi’ 



4 ‘ If this yere house filled chuck full o' gold an jewels ware 
sot right on top o' my head , 7 could it feel no mo happier then 
I duz this blessed minmt ” 


(Page 1 19.) 












































p 








-V. 





















































































' 

' 





A Wee Lassie . 


185 


Mr, Mason’s folks tell ther gun ware stoled an’ 
they ’lowed he hed been ther feller what tuk hit. 
An’ sence er nigger air proved ther thief, Crates 
air so tetchy ’bout them er-thinkin’ he stolt hit, 
he hain’t never been willin’ ter go back wi’ ’em. 
Thet’s huk-comes him ter be at home long wi’ 
me now. Yer’s welcome ter him ter-morrow, ef 
yer wants him, an’ Crates ’ull be monstrous 
proud ter be at ther Hall. He ’lows ther good 
Lord hain’t never made no mo’ sich folks ez ye 
an’ yer brother be.” 

Mabel received this rather lengthy speech 
with her usual amiability. It always interested 
her to listen to Haney, and she frequently asked 
her questions merely to induce her to converse 
freely. 

She now explained that she was expecting to 
ride about the mountain a good deal in the 
interests of her brother’s school, and as he was 
too busy to accompany her, and was unwilling 
for her to be out on the highway alone, they 
wanted Crates for this duty. 

Haney smiled as she heard this explanation 
as to why her young relative’s presence was 
desired at the Hall. 

“Crates ’ull be plumb sot up ter think he’s ter 
be ’lowed ter ride roun’ wi’ ye, ’stid o’ Mr. Hil- 
degarde er-goin’. I’se fearin’ he’ll git thet 


186 


A W ee Lassie . 


proud-like yer’ll hev ter give him er pow’ful 
settin’ down ’fore lie’s been thar long.” 

Mabel smilingly assured her that she was 
willing to take the risk, and at this point in the 
conversation the baby suddenly ’roused from 
slumber, and both women at once gave him their 
undivided attention. 

“How cute he is. And what lovely eyes he 
has. He is going to be a beautiful child,” Mabel 
remarked, as she patted his softly-tinted cheek 
affectionately. 

“Yas, I ’lows ez much. An’ I’s been er- 
studdyin’ right smart o’ late ’bout er name fur 
him. Thar’s one I picked out’n ther Bible 
which sounds orful purty, but I’se er-thinkin’ 
hit’s er gal’s name.” 

“Which name is that ?” Mabel inquired, with 
lively interest. 

“Hit’s ther one in ther las’ chapter o’ fust 
C’rin’thi’ns. Hit duz read so purty an’ smooth- 
like I mos’ wish ther babby ware er gal, so’s I 
could give hit ter him,” Haney answered, 
smoothing the child’s tumbled curls with pride 
in face and tone. 

“I don’t seem to recall any name in that chap- 
ter,” Mabel began, with a puzzled expression. 
Then she added: “Yes, I do remember, now, 
that Paul speaks of Aquila and Priscilla. Is it 
Priscilla that you like so much ?” 


A Wee Lassie . 


187 


“Ho’n deed. That ar hain’t purty. I’d alius 
be er-thinkin’ ’bout ole Miss Prissy Baker, 
which ware ther ugl’ist white woman I ever sot 
my two eyes outer, ef I sh’d call ther babby 
arter thet ar name. Ho, I wants er name what’s 
onusual, sich ez ’ull fit him. Ther one I ’lowed 
ware sich er plumb purty one, wuz Hathmy- 
Mary-Hathy. Mary’s sorter common-like, but 
hit sounds nice, an’ I hain’t never lieered any- 
body what ware called Hathmy nur Hathy.” 1 

Mabel’s countenance, which, at first, had worn 
a mystified expression as Haney pronounced her 
chosen appellation, suddenly broke into the sun- 
shine of smiles and dimples. Haney sighed as 
she added : “But bein’ ez lie hain’t er gal, an’ ez 
I cayn’t change’ him inter one, nohow, Full hev 
ter pick out some other name, I reckon. But I 
don’ b’lieve I’s goin’ ter find one I likes ez well 
ez I likes thet air one.” 

“But, as you say, that one will not answer at 
all,” Mabel hastened to say, as soon as she could 
command herself sufficiently to speak. “Why 
not call him Paul? That is both strong and 
beautiful.” 

But Haney shook her head. 

“I wants er long-soundin’, sort o’ dingafied 
’un, sich ez ’nil mek folks onderstand he been ’t 


1 This Is an actual occurrence. 


188 


A Wee Lassie . 


no ’onery, no ’count trash/’ she answered, in an 
insistent, tone. 

“Well, Jehoshaphat is a name one does not 
very often hear, and it is quite long-sounding, 
too,” Mabel suggested, her eyes dancing with 
mischief. “Or perhaps Zerubbabel would suit, 
or Abednego.” 

Nancy gravely tilted her head over to one side 
while she considered. 

“Tell me some more on ’em. Suthin’ like 
they be, on’y let ’em be longer an’ mo’ dingafied 
and uncommon-like,” she said, at last. 

Mabel wrinkled her forehead in a vain effort 
to bring from the depths of her memory exactly 
what Nancy wanted. 

“How would Jeroboam answer?” she sug- 
gested, with mirth-sparkling eyes. 

“I likes thet ’un purty well. An’ I likes ther 
fust ’un yer give me, too, pow’ful well. Je-hosh- 
er-fat’s plumb big-like, on’y I’s fearin’ ther boys 
mought larf at him, when he’s done growed up 
so’s ter go ter ther counted school. They’d mos’ 
likely call him ‘Hosh-er-fat,’ s’pecially ez he’s 
done growed ter be so fattified sence I got him. 
Jis’ see his double chin.” And she raised the 
child into a sitting posture that her visitor might 
the better take in his increasing avoirdupois. 

Mabel praised the double rows of dimpled 


A W ee Lassie . 


189 


flesh, and then, going to a stand on which lay 
Haney’s Bible, she took it in her hand, saying: 
“I am anxious for you to he satisfied with a 
name for him before I leave. He is now plenty 
old enough to be honored with a more personal 
title than Baby.” 

She turned the leaves slowly, and at last 
paused at the eighth chapter of Isaiah. 

“Here is one that will be long enough, if that 
is what you want,” she said, with a merry laugh. 
“Listen. How do you like ‘Maher-shaal-hash- 
baz ?’ ” 

“Why, thet ar’s pow’ful high-soundin’-like,” 
was Haney’s response, while her eyes bright- 
ened. “Mayor, yer knows, air er title o’ honor. 
Folks mought call him thet, ez much ez they 
pleased ter, an’ hit couldn’t pester him, nohow. 
Ther mayor o’ Huntsville air ther plumb big- 
gest man in ther hull city, so Crates done tolt 
me, an’ he hez things done ’zackly ez he hez er 
mind ter hev ’em done. Hobody cayn’t say 
nuthin’ ’gin’ him, nuther, r’else he kin pack ’em 
off ter jail, fust thing. I’ll call him arter thet 
name, sho! Jis’ read hit out erg’in, slow-like, 
won’t yer ?” 

Mabel did so, divided between a desire to 
laugh and a vain regret that she had introduced 
the dreadful name to Haney’s knowledge. She 


190 


A W ee Lassie . 


had entertained no thought, at the moment she 
turned to it, that the woman would think of 
using it for the baby. 

“ ‘Mayor-shell-hash-baz,’ ” Nancy repeated 
after her. “ ’Pears like ther folks in them days 
must er been monstrous fond o’ hash,” she 
added, thoughtfully, yet with a humorous 
twinkle in her eye. 

“Why so ?” Mabel innocently inquired. 

“Don’ yer see? Thar’s ‘ J er-hash-er-f at,’ an’ 
here’s ‘ M a y o r-sh el 1-h ash-baz , ’ two dishes o’ hash, 
ez yer mought say, at one meal o’ vittles.” She 
paused to laugh, a moment, over her attempted 
witticism, and then said, with sudden solem- 
nity: “I shell call ther chile ‘Mayor-shell-hash- 
baz,’ an’ Crates an’ me kin nip hit off ter 
‘Mayor’ an’ still hit ’ull be er pow-ful high- 
soundin’ name.” 

And Maliershaalhashbaz he was called, ever 
after, much to Mabel’s amusement, and some- 
what to her chagrin, for she felt that she was, 
in a measure, responsible for the child’s having 
received such an unpronounceable and mirth- 
provoking cognomen. 

Crates took up his abode at Linwood the fol- 
lowing day, and, as Nancy had foreseen, great 
was his pride and delight in the position Glenn 
assigned him. 


A Wee Lassie . 


191 


To be counted worthy of being Mabel’s escort 
and protector during her rides about the moun- 
tain, was a greater honor than he had ever 
dreamed possible could fall to his lot. He filled 
the position with so much dignity and delicacy 
that both brother and sister began to see that the 
boy who had needed wee Lassie to “help him be 
good” was a character of stronger and finer 
mould than either had heretofore suspected. 

How many such characters there are, all 
about us, if only the needed “help” were given, 
whereby the ore from the golden vein might be 
brought to the surface before it becomes hope- 
lessly buried under the rubbish of shiftless and 
sinful habits — who may say ? 


CHAPTER XXI. 


“Hary Chance/'' 

A MID his ever-increasing duties to get his 
Home and School opened by the first of 
October, Glenn took another day to run down 
for a brief inspection of the convict camp. 
Whether. his sole motive was to study the boy- 
convicts, or whether an unacknowledged desire 
to again meet Miss Hudson moved him to make 
this second visit, we will not inquire. 

Mabel was too fully engrossed in her prepara- 
tions to fill, successfully, the position in the 
school which she had elected was to be under her 
own special charge, to be able to spare the time 
to accompany him. But she extracted from 
him a promise that he would at no very distant 
day repeat his visit, and arrange it on such a 
date as would allow her to go with him. 

Things at the camp, to the outside observer, 
were progressing as usual. The men worked in 
the mines during the day, under the surveillance 
of the guards, and if one and another, at various 
times, made an attempt to escape, and lost his 
life by being hunted down with the hounds, or 


A Wee Lassie . 


193 


shot by the pursuing guards, little notice was 
taken of the event. They were only “convicts,” 
and every man’s hand and heart, with few ex- 
ceptions, were against them. 

If they completed their allotted task satisfac- 
torily — and it must be admitted that those who 
“worked” this band of men, unlike some in other 
camps, tried not to place the amount demanded 
of each man beyond his ability to perform — they 
got along fairly well, especially if they carefully 
kept the rules of the camp. Their lot was not 
greatly harder, under these circumstances, than 
that of many a miner outside of the camp, with 
this exception : they were deprived of their free- 
dom and separated from their families, and bore 
about with them the consciousness of a disgrace 
that nothing could obliterate. 

Many of these men were “lifers,” and the 
helplessness, as well as hopelessness, of their 
existence, with nothing ahead to break the 
monotony of their tread-mill life, became appall- 
ing to one who studied such cases. 

That a deep and pungent work was going on 
in many hearts, through the power of the Holy 
Ghost, since Blue’s meeting, and his sudden 
death, no one knew quite so well as did Mr. and 
Mrs. Hudson. 

The warden recognized the fact that the gen- 

13 


194 


A Wee Lassie . 


eral behaviour was better than ever before in the 
history of the camp, and the young physician — 
Doctor Seaton bv name — felt convinced that a 
number of his patients who had heard Blue’s 
testimony, and were afterwards transferred to 
the hospital, had been so impressed by the old 
man’s experience, that, like himself, they were 
longing to master the secret of his happi- 
ness. 

Glenn visited the hospital in company with 
Mrs. Hudson, which, as was usually the case, 
held many patients. One young man among 
them especially attracted his attention. His 
face was fair and almost effeminate in its deli- 
cacy, and there was nothing about him to stamp 
him as a criminal, with the exception of his 
prison garb. 

At Mrs. Hudson’s request Glenn gave the 
men a short talk, and then sang several hymns. 
As his voice was mellow and thoroughly trained, 
the music was a real treat to them, and was 
listened to with eager attention. 

“Who was the young man on our right — the 
one whose fever was so high ?” he inquired of 
Mrs. Hudson, as they returned to the cottage, 
where Agnes, seated on the little piazza, was 
awaiting them. She had not been quite so strong 
as usual the past few days, and Mr. Hudson had 


A Wee Lassie . 


195 


prohibited her goina; to the hospital until she 
was recuperated. 

“His history only adds another sad chapter 
to the long list of crimes due to alcohol/’ was 
Mrs. Hudson’s reply. Then she added, passion- 
ately : a Oh ! if hoys would only learn never to 
tamper with the deadly stuff, what agony they 
would escape.” 

She was silent for a moment, and then con- 
tinued : “The young man whom you noticed is 
of good parentage, and enjoys a fair education. 
He was completing the study of dentistry when 
he committtd the crime which brings him to the 
camp. Early in life he evinced a fondness for 
wine. This taste grew on him until its gratifica- 
tion proved his overthrow. One evening, in 
company with some kindred spirits, he drank, 
as he had sometimes done before, to intoxication. 
He became boisterous while on the street, and a 
policeman attempted to arrest him. He resisted, 
drew a pistol, and shot the officer in the breast. 
The man died the following day from the wound 
thus inflicted. So Charles Morgan — that is the 
convict’s name — at the age of twenty and one- 
half years, with all his life before him, became 
guilty of murder, and is sentenced to the peni- 
tentiary for fifteen years. And the saddest part 
of the story to me is the fact that the boy has 


196 


A Wee Lassie . 


no recollection whatever of shooting the officer, 
lie was easily intoxicated, and when under the 
influence of alcohol would do things of which 
he afterwards had no remembrance.” 

“Which only furnishes another reason why he 
should never have touched the wine-cup,” was 
Glenn’s quick response. Then he added : “And 
how deadly this habit of carrying fire-arms is 
seen to be when studied from the grim vantage- 
ground of a convict camp. With God’s help,” 
and he seemed registering a vow as he spoke, 
“while you are engaged in the humane and 
sorely-needed mission of trying to save the souls 
of the poor fellows who are sent here, from eter- 
nal death, I now again pledge my time, my 
talents, my money, my life, to the effort to save 
all the boys whom I can reach, from ever coming 
to this tomb, wherein is engulfed every hope, so 
far as this life is concerned, of every man who 
receives his sentence to the penitentiary.” 

Agnes Hudson’s eyes kindled as she heard 
these words. 

“What a precious work you have chosen,” 
she said, gently. “And how I shall pray our 
Father to enable you to influence and train an 
ever-increasing multitude of boys for his army. 
Yours is a more hopeful mission than ours,” she 
continued, after a moment’s silence, “for you 


A Wee Lassie . 


197 


will take them in hand before open crime and 
disgrace have set their debasing and paralyzing 
seal upon them. Sometimes I am so weighed 
down by a feeling of the odds against which we 
are fighting, that I almost grow discouraged. It 
would be refreshing to give one’s life toward 
helping boys and youths attain a noble manhood 
before they have become hardened, as the ma- 
jority of those who come to us are hard- 
ened.” 

While she was speaking a boy was seen rapidly 
approaching the cottage. 

“Whar be ther parson ?” he asked, in an ex- 
cited tone. 

“He is in his room. Who wants him, Horton ? 
This is his rest-hour,” Mrs. Hudson answered, 
rising to her feet. Something in the boy’s face 
and manner alarmed her. 

“Thar’s ben er accident down t’ tlier mines. 
Four fellers are kilt, an’ ther new feller, Jake 
Kelley, air tored up orful. He’s ben brung t’ 
ther hosp’t-al, an’ he ’lows he wants ther parson 
ter come, quick. He cayn’t live long, ther doctor 
flows.” 

Before the messenger had finished speaking, 
Mrs. Hudson had disappeared within the cot- 
tage. A minute later the missionary appeared 
at the door, hat in hand, and with an expression 


198 


A W ee Lassie . 


of pain and dread marking liis usually peaceful 
countenance, passed down the steps. 

Glenn arose, saying : “May I go with you ?” 
and Agnes added, “ And I, too, papa ?” 

“No, daughter. Neither you nor your mother 
must visit the hospital unless I send for you. 
Mr. Hildegarde can come,” and the two walked 
quickly away. 

The injured convict was found to be so 
crushed, internally, that there was no chance for 
his recovery. “He will die in less than a half 
hour / 5 Dr. Seaton whispered to Mr. Hudson. 
“I have done all I can for him. Given an opiate 
to ease his suffering a little. Now that you have 
come, I will go back to the mine, for there are 
others who need my attention.” 

The poor unfortunate was not over nineteen 
years of age. He seemed to be dozing from the 
effect of the opiate administered, as Mr. Hudson 
bent over him. 

The minister raised a haggard face to Glenn 
as he said : “He is a new man. Has been here 
only two or three days. I have had no chance to 
talk with him, nor point him to Christ. And 
now it is too late.” 

The sound of his voice aroused the sufferer. 
He raised his glassy eyes to the sympathetic face 
above him, saying: “I hain’t never had no 
chance — parson — nary chance a ? tall. PYaps 


A Wee Lassie . 


199 


God Almighty knows this an’ will he sort o’ easy 
on me, ’cordin’ly.” 

His eyelids again closed before Mr. Hudson 
could utter a word. Both the missionary and 
Glenn were asking, out of full hearts, that the 
poor fellow might receive a saving glimpse of 
Christ before he was called away. 

He aroused, a few moments later, with the 
death-rattle in his throat. 

“O — God — be — merciful — to — me,” he 
gasped, brokenly. “I’s — full — o’ — sin — ez — 
ye — knows. But — Lord — I’s — sorry — 
an’ — I — axes — ye — ter — please — fur- 
give. My — mother — I — ’minds — me 
prayed — fur — me — a — heap — ’fore — 
she — died. Hev — mercy — on — my — 
pore — soul — ef — ye — kin.” 

Mr. Hudson took one of his clammy hands 
within his own, and told him, in a few incisive 
sentences, of God’s great love for him, through 
J esus Christ, and his willingness to forgive and 
save him. 

“I — alius — meant — to — do — right,” 
lie gasped. “He — knows — this — ’cause — 
he — knows — all — things. I — rode — on — 
the — keers — wi’out — any — money — frum 

— Louisville — to — Birmingham. I — did’n 
think — hit — ware — much — wrong — ’cause 

— I — did’n — hev — no — money — an’ — I 


200 


A Wee Lassie . 


— coul’n — git — no — work. I — ware — 
cornin’ — to — Birmingham — ” here he paused, 
exhausted. After resting a moment he con- 
tinued : “I — ware — huntin’ — work — when 

— they — kotched — up — wi’ — me — an’ — 
fined — me — an’ — sont — me — here — 
’cause — I — could’n — pay — the - — fine.” 

Again his eyes closed. But after a brief 
interval they opened, and Mr. Hudson tried, 
afresh, to point him to Christ. He seemed to 
listen attentively for awhile, but suddenly cried 
out: “O — God — won’t — ye — hev — 
mercy ? Men’s — been — mighty — hard — 
on — me — hut — you’s — diffrunt. Do — let 

— me — see — yore — F ace — in — peace — 
ef — ye — kin.” 

Again the missionary told him, out of his full 
heart, of the great love of Christ, and once more 
the poor fellow broke out into supplication : “Lord 

— Jesus — Christ — the — parson — ’lows — 
ye — done — furgive — the — thief — on — 
the — cross — - jis — at — the — las’ — minnit. 
Cayn’t — ye. — furgive — me — too ? No — 
one — kin — give — me — a — han’ — now — 
’cept — you. I’se — done — . put — my — case 

— into — yore — keepin’. Furgive ! — Hev — 
mercy!” He was silent for an instant, and 
Glenn thought his spirit had passed away. But 
he gave a gasp, opened his eyes and said, in a 


A W ee Lassie. 


201 . 


stronger voice than lie had yet used : “I trusts 
ye — Lord J'esus.” 

Those were his last words, and as he uttered 
them his soul drifted out into the great Beyond . 1 

“ ‘ Those that call upon me shall be saved/ so 
our Father tells us,” Mr. Hudson murmured, as 
he glanced up into Glenn’s face. The eyes into 
which he looked were full of tears. 

“God is faithful,” the younger man responded, 
“and the mother’s prayers cannot have been lost. 
I believe the poor fellow’s last words prove that 
God enabled him to exercise saving faith in 
Christ just as he passed away.” 

“How pitiful it all is,” he added, a mo- 
ment later. “I wish those who think a man in 
the garb of a convict is beyond hope and beyond 
the need of help, might have stood where we 
have been this afternoon. If ever a poor fellow 
needs a true friend to encourage hope, and point 
out to him the way of salvation, it must be after 
the prison doors have closed behind him, and all 
earthly hope is gone ; swallowed up in a disgrace 
that nothing, in the eves of man, can ever 
obliterate.” 

“That is true. And the more guilty he is the 
more he needs such help,” was Mr. Hudson’s 
response. “If he is a criminal in the real sense 
of the word — as the majority of these men are — 


i The convict’s death and the cause of imprisonment are actual facts. 


202 


A W ee Lassie . 


he not only has lost all hope when he comes 
here — blit he is also weighed down by a sense 
of awful guilt. That many of the cases brought 
to these camps are undoubtedly hopeless ones — 
so far as their ever accepting Christ is con- 
cerned — I am willing to admit. Yet there are 
some among them, especially in the ranks of 
the younger men, who richly repay the time and 
labor expended. I would not exchange my work 
for any other field that could be offered me, for 
I believe I am more needed right here than any- 
where else in the wide world.” 

The other wounded men were now brought in, 
but their injuries were slight, and after exchang- 
ing a few words with each one, Mr. Hudson and 
Glenn returned to the cottage. 

As the latter boarded the train for home, the 
following morning, two thoughts were uppermost 
in his mind. One was — that the work of the 
missionaries and teachers, in these convict camps 
and in the penitentiaries, is among the most 
needed of any place on the globe. 

The other was a query : Would Agnes Hudson 
ever be willing to exchange her present self- 
appointed mission for any other ? 

This question was propounded to his own 
heart, with wistful eyes and accelerated pulse- 
beats. 

Glenn was in love. 


CHAPTER XXII. 


A Miniature Republic. 

L OXG and carefully did Glenn study out 
the plan and details for his school. 

Once, a year or so previous to this date, he had 
read of an institution, located somewhere in the 
Horth, which fulfilled his idea of the best way 
to deal with boys of the class which he designed 
to help. 

This school had been formed on the principle 
of a republic, the pupils electing their own 
officers and making and executing their own 
laws. This was the most that Glenn remem- 
bered about it. But with this idea as his central 
thought, he had gone forward maturing his plans 
with ever-increasing interest. 

Keith, of course, shared in all his hopes, and 
to him Glenn had confided his seed thought of 
organizing a miniature republic. A day or two 
after he returned from his second visit to the 
convict camp, a letter from Keith gave him the 
address of the Principal of the northern school 
which had so aroused his interest. lie at once 
made arrangements to visit this school, which 
was located at Ereeville, Xew York. 


204 


A Wee Lassie. 


He was most favorably impressed by a close 
inspection of this unique institution, and after 
lingering two days, returned home, there to per- 
fect his own arrangements more fully, and trans- 
late into them the more striking features of the 
northern school. 

He saw, however, that it was impracticable 
to put all his plans into execution the first year. 
The boys would have to be educated up by de- 
grees to the point of adopting and living out in 
their daily lives these novel and advanced ideas. 

The northern school ran without seeming fric- 
tion, but it had been in active operation for sev- 
eral years. This little republic contained within 
itself all the departments of a complete govern- 
ment — legislative, judicial and executive — all 
the offices being filled by the pupils of the school, 
denominated “citizens.” They made their own 
laws and executed them. 

Glenn at once saw the advantages growing out 
of this system of conducting an institution of 
learning, for it not only taught the boys the 
functions of a republican form of government, 
but it also developed their honor and manliness 
in the enactment and execution of only such 
laws as they were willing should govern them. 

So far as his sound common sense showed him 
was practicable, he intended to introduce many 


A Wee Lassie . 


205 


of these ideas into liis own school during the first 
year. But much was left to be engrafted on at 
a later period, after his influence over the pupils 
had been fully established and their capacities 
for self-government had been somewhat de- 
veloped. 

But one thing at the very outset was to be 
avoided : that of pauperizing the boys. The first 
lesson to be learned was that of self-dependence. 
They were to be taught at the beginning that 
neither Glenn nor their parents were to assume 
the cost of their education. 

In order to develop this principle, he decided 
that every boy must be charged a fair price for 
board and tuition. And the ability to meet this 
cost was to be furnished him through work. All 
labor was to be paid for according to its true 
value, and this would be determined by the Prin- 
cipal and the superintendent of each depart- 
ment; payment to be made in the “coin of the 
realm” — aluminum currency, minted in all de- 
nominations from one cent up to one dollar ; this 
to be the only money current in the republic. 
Even the youngest pupils were to be assigned 
little “chores” suited to their strength, and for 
such service they would receive suitable com- 
pensation. 

It was also his determination, after long and 


206 


A Wee Lassie . 


careful study, to make the institution self-sus- 
taining. This would not he possible during the 
first year, but he felt sure — although the whole 
plan was experimental — that he could, in the 
end, work out his ideal. A self-supporting 
school w r as best for the boys, and best for all 
connected with the enterprise, and to this end 
he planned and labored. Until this was suc- 
cessfully accomplished, his own fortune, which 
was princely, was pledged to its support and 
development. , * 

He did not intend to limit the benefits of the 
school to boys of any certain age. If any came 
too young to work, he would have a kindergarten 
department established for them. If young men 
desired to attend they should be welcome, and 
have a chance not only to secure an education, 
but to learn a useful trade at the same time. 

The principal branch of industry taught was 
to be agriculture, Linwood’s broad and fertile 
acres offering a fine field for the development 
of this sadly neglected but promising source of 
livelihood. Besides farming, Glenn had erected 
and furnished shops, where the trades of black- 
smithing, wagon-making and carpentering, as 
well as shoe and harness-making, could be 
learned. In these various shops competent me- 
chanics were employed as foremen ; while on the 


A Wee Lassie . 


207 


plantation educated farmers were secured to 
conduct all the departments of agriculture in an 
intelligent and profitable manner. 

Every boy of competent age was to be allowed 
to choose the line of work he preferred to follow. 
And unless he showed himself incapable of be- 
coming proficient in that particular occupation, 
he was not permitted to change to any other. 

As Glenn did not intend to limit his work to 
the boys in the vicinity immediately around Lin- 
wood, he had extended notices of the school in- 
serted in city and county papers throughout the 
State. 

Local notices from pulpits, lecture halls, and 
school-rooms were also requested, and the result 
was that on October first, the “Linwood Repub- 
lic” opened with twenty-five “citizens.” 

With Keith’s assistance, and the aid of other 
influential and practical friends whose interest 
in the work had been secured, Glenn had been 
able to muster a full and competent corps of 
teachers, and everything pointed toward suc- 
cess. 

The day was divided into the following hours : 
All “citizens” arose at six o’clock. Breakfast was 
served at six-thirty, followed by morning wor- 
ship. F rom nine to twelve the time was devoted 
to study, with two brief intermissions of five 


208 


A Wee Lassie . 


minutes each for change of position and relaxa- 
tion. Dinner was served at twelve-fifteen. 
Three hours in the afternoon were given to 
manual labor, on the farm and in the shops. 
Supper at six. This was followed by evening 
worship. Glenn always conducted this service 
himself unless some ministerial friend was his 
guest, in which case the visitor was invited to 
lead it. From seven-thirty to eight-thirty some 
interesting chapel exercise, literary, musical or 
religious, was always held, much to the satisfac- 
tion of both the teachers and the “citizens.” 
l^ine o’clock was the time for retiring, and every 
pupil was required to be in bed at the ringing 
of the bell marking that hour. 

The Republic soon elected a Legislature, and 
Saturday mornings were given to parliamentary 
debates — the “citizens” discussing, as they 
gained knowledge and confidence, simple politi- 
cal and State questions of public interest. And 
as the weeks went on, they were encouraged to 
frame, and discuss, and pass laws for the gov- 
ernment of the Republic. 

Saturday afternoon was a general holiday, in 
which the citizens were allowed to do as they 
pleased, only so that no law of the Republic was 
violated. 

Mabel had voluntarily assumed the care of the 


A Wee Lassie . 


209 


classes containing the younger pupils of the 
school, and great was her interest in the work. 

Crates Welldon had, at first, expressed dis- 
satisfaction that she was not to have charge of 
any of his studies ; but she soon won him to her 
view of the matter, and at the same time enlisted 
him as her general assistant by saving : “Why, 
Citizen Welldon, I expect you to help me teach, 
rather than I teach you.” 

The “citizen’s” eyes opened wide at these un- 
expected words. 

“I don’ b’leeve I knows jis what yer said,” he 
remarked at last, much puzzled and somewhat 
confused. 

“Don’t you ? Well, I will try and make my 
meaning clear to you. You know you are such 
a large ‘citizen’ that the smaller pupils all look 
upon you as being almost a man, and they will 
think whatever you do is just the right thing. 
How, I expect you to be such an obedient, indus- 
trious citizen of the Republic, always wearing a 
cheerful face and careful to act as a gentleman 
on every occasion, that I can say to the small 
citizens: ‘Look at Citizen Welldon. He is just 
the kind of a boy I want you to be.’ Don’t you 
see how you will be teaching the little fellows by 
your example, as I shall by my words ?” 

That was a blissful moment for “Citizen Well- 


14 


210 


A Wee Lassie . 


don.” He blushed with pleasure, and as he 
straightened himself to his full height he 
replied : “Sho’, Miss Mabel, I’ll help ye all I 
kin. A n’ ef yer sees me er doin’ anythin’ yer 
’lows er gen’leman ortent ter, yer mus’ be sho’ 
an’ tell me. I does think er heap o’ yer and 
Mister Hildegarde, an’ I wants ter be jis’ what 
you-uns wants me ter be.” 

“I surely will. And one of the first things I 
want to do is to help you use choice language. 
How, ‘you-uns’ and ‘we-uns’ sounds all right to 
you, but just notice if you ever hear Mr. Hilde- 
garde speak thus. Leave off the ‘uns,’ and it 
will be all right. Instead of saying, as you did 
just now, ‘I want to be just what you-uns wants 
me to be,’ put it this way, ‘I want to be just what 
you want me to be.’ Do you see the difference ?” 

“Citizen Welldon” looked puzzled, and Mabel 
continued : “I am anxious to teach the younger 
boys as quickly as possible to speak correctly, 
and if you will learn to talk as you hear Mr. Hil- 
degarde, you can greatly assist me.” 

From that hour no one ever again heard Citi- 
zen Welldon make use of the amusing localisms, 
“we-uns” and “you-uns.” Indeed, his effort to 
follow Mabel’s suggestion was so untiring that in 
less than three months time a very noticeable 
change was apparent in his dialect, and he soon 


A Wee Lassie . 


211 


became one of the model citizens of the Re- 
public. 

Just before Mabel entered upon her school 
duties, the mail one morning brought to her a 
daintily illuminated booklet containing Rudyard 
Kipling’s poem, “Recessional.” It was an ex- 
quisitely gotten-up volume, and her pleasure in 
it was extreme. Kelso Keith’s name was on the 
fly-leaf, and a few days later there came a letter 
from him, the first he had ever written her. 

Her cheeks were pink with pleasure as she 
perused its closely-filled pages. 

“I have wanted to chat with you on paper for 
weeks,” he said, “but have not quite had the 
courage to begin a correspondence until now, as 
I had not first prepared the way by obtaining 
your consent to such a procedure. 

“But now I plunge boldly in, and write ex- 
actly as I would talk were I by your side. If 
your life is too full to admit of a reply, or if 
you do not care to enter into a correspondence, 
just lay this letter aside, and do not feel bur- 
dened to answer it.” 

He wrote about many things, touching more 
fully on spiritual themes than any others. To- 
ward the close he said, evidently being in a retro- 
spective mood: 

“It would be delightful to be with you, these 


212 


A Wee Lassie . 


perfect days, out on the bluffs. The golden-rod 
must be in full bloom now, and Golden-rod 
Slope, no doubt, is bright with that most winsome 
flower. I can feel the breeze — as I write — blow- 
ing up from the ravine, and see the sunny, rocky 
slope covered with the long-stemmed, gracefully- 
waving blossoms. And off yonder, through the 
rift in the trees, I see the great valley stretching 
away, meadow and field and wood, to where the 
invisible river winds across, indicated, yet hid- 
den, by its wide-flanking bodyguard of immense 
poplars, oaks and hickories — all its own chil- 
dren — that accompany it in all its windings and 
wanderings. And I can follow it as it stretches 
away through the blue haze of the valley, almost 
to the horizon’s edge — then lost for a time in the 
darker blue, which for us means earthly dis- 
tance, just as the brighter, clearer blue above, 
means heavenly distance. And then, just as I 
seem to have bidden it farewell — it bends east- 
ward and again seeks the overshadowing moun- 
tain’s base, on the opposite side of the long valley 
whence it first issued forth — and — well — as I 
watch it, I wish I might see it in reality. 

“And as I dreamily wish this, I seem once 
more to look upon an earnest face by my side, 
on which wee Lassie’s Elder Brother has set his 
seal, and in whose soul his transforming life has 


A Wee Lassie . 


213 


entered. And I am wondering what the present 
experience of this sonl may be, and how far 
she has penetrated into the hallowed whiteness 
of onr Lord’s mystical and matchless Presence.” 

As Mabel read these words she paused, and 
covered her face with her hands. She was re- 
viewing her life since the hour alluded to in the 
letter, and the retrospection was both joyful and 
sad. The old caressing motion, grown to be an 
involuntary one, of placing her hand upon her 
little silver pin, was again noticeable as she whis- 
pered : “I am His and He is mine. That is all 
I know, except that I am very slow to learn His 
precious secrets, and that He is always tender 
and patient toward me.” 

This letter of Keith’s proved a fresh incentive 
to her as she entered upon her self-appointed 
duties in the school-room, and when she at length 
answered it, after the “Republic” was organized 
and had been running smoothly for almost one 
month, the reply was all that a friend, as inter- 
ested as he, could desire. 


CHAPTER XXIII. 


An Eagle's Nest. 

W INTER came, and with it the school in- 
creased in numbers until seventy-five 
names had been registered as citizens of the Re- 
public. The fame of the unique institution 
began to spread as soon as it was opened, and 
the delight of the pupils “in governin’ our- 
selves,” as they expressed it, was noised abroad, 
until Glenn was kept busy answering the many 
letters of inquiry which came to him. 

Some of these letters were pathetic, and others 
were amusing. Their reception convinced Glenn 
of one thing: that there was a large body of 
boys and young men throughout the Southland, 
belonging to the poorer and illiterate classes, that 
were eager to obtain an education if it could be 
accomplished in a way that would preserve to 
each one his independence, and also insure him a 
home and a support while being educated. 

As this was exactly what the Lin wood Minia- 
ture Republic offered, he was able to answer the 
many questions propounded to him through the 
mail in so satisfactory a manner that, judging 


A Wee Lassie . 


215 


from the answers sent in before the first winter 
ended, the second year promised to number more 
students than he had dared hope, in his most 
sanguine mood, would be the case. 

A gymnasium had been added to the equip- 
ment of the school during the fall, and also a 
large wood-yard. During the inclement days of 
winter those boys whose usual occupation out-of- 
doors was interrupted by bad weather, were thus 
enabled to earn needful wages by sawing and 
splitting wood. The gymnasium offered pleas- 
ing and healthful recreation on Saturday after- 
noons, and many of the boys found time on other 
days to engage in its muscle-developing exercises. 

Husking corn, of which the Lin wood acres 
afforded a large harvest, was another occupation 
for the winter. 

Glenn was delighted to note that even the 
youngest of the “citizens,” after being in the 
Republic for a brief time, learned to dispatch 
their work with a cheerfulness that was refresh- 
ing. And when pay-day came it was interesting 
to see the pride exhibited in face and demeanor 
as the wages were received. And later — as each 
citizen asked for and paid his weekly hills for 
hoard and laundry — the air of importance mani- 
fested was both amusing and impressive. 

Many a lad, who, during his former life had 


216 


A Wee Lassie. 


been noted for his lazy and shiftless habits, 
under the stimulus of the new atmosphere of the 
Republic, developed into a cheerful and pains- 
taking worker. 

Of course there were some exceptions, and on 
these cases Glenn bestowed much thought before 
a mode of correction was devised which met his 
approval. He had decided — at the outset — 
that no corporal punishment should be inflicted. 
His whole thought was how best to develop the 
manliness of the boys, and he did not believe 
that the infliction of physical pain would further 
this object. 

His expedient for reaching refractory pupils 
was unique. If a boy would not learn his les- 
sons, or if he refused to work in a satisfactory 
manner, or violated the laws of the Republic, 
after he had been duly admonished without 
manifest improvement, he was simplv excluded 
from the dining-room. If he chose, he could 
return home. Or, if he preferred, he could 
remain quietly on the grounds, but on no con- 
sideration could he receive food until he had 
asked the Principal’s pardon for his misbe- 
havior, and promised amendment for the future. 

Thus far this rule had worked well, and the 
few boys who were inclined to show a refractory 
spirit were soon brought into a state of obedience 


A Wee Lassie. 


217 


and docility. The whole tone of the school was 
in favor of manly, upright conduct, and the boy 
who evinced a contrary tendency was soon made 
to feel that he was under the ban of his “fellow- 
citizens” and the object of such universal con- 
tempt that he was either forced to leave the Re- 
public in self-defence or amend his ways. 

Mabel’s magnetic personality was potent and 
far-reaching, and in her presence in the school, 
and influence over the boys, Glenn found he pos- 
sessed one of his most powerful incentives to 
noble living. She threw herself with such whole- 
hearted enthusiasm into the work that, before 
the winter waned, her brother had to caution 
her lest she should unduly tax her strength and 
undermine her health. 

One sunny Saturday afternoon in early 
spring, when birds were filling the air with their 
songs, and cozy nests were being built in almost 
every sheltered tree and wayside bush, Citizen 
Welldon asked permission to go to a certain 
bluff with which he was familiar, in search of 
eagles’ eggs. Citizen Allen elected to accompany 
him, and as they were now both trustworthy 
“citizens,” the request was granted. 

Greatly to the surprise of his parents, Jim had 
entered the Republic as one of its earliest pupils. 
He was such a “hard case,” as Crates had truth- 


218 


A Wee Lassie . 


fully described him at the time of the birthday 
fete, that all his relatives were thunder-struck 
when they found out his intentions. 

“He’ll not stay thar mor’n er week,” his 
mother prophesied. “Either he’ll git sick o’ ther 
hull business, ur he’ll be turnt out fur his mean- 
ness.” 

But some spark of manliness, hidden deep 
down in his nature under the rubbish of evil 
habits, had been touched and quickened into 
faint life at the birthday dinner, and this had 
awakened in him a desire to become “er plumb 
hon’able feller, sich ez Mister Hildegarde be, an’ 
t’other chap — Keith they called him — air.” 

This confession was made to little Joe one 
night after the boys had retired. The younger 
brother was drowsy, and sleepily responded: 
“Yer’ll hev ter quit cussin’ an’ lyin’, then, an’ 
throw yer terbacker away. Sich gents ez they 
be don’t do nutliin’ o’ thet kind.” 

Jim heroically made up his mind to pay the 
required price, and when he entered the school 
it was with a fixed resolve to become “er plumb 
hon’able gen’leman, sich ez Mister Hildegarde 
be. Sich ez ’ull mek folks ’spect yer, an’ sort o’ 
look up ter yer.” 

With this frame of mind possessing him, he 
and Crates struck up quite a friendship, and 


A Wee Lassie . 


219 


together they strove against fixed habits of evil, 
and aided each other not a little in the fight by 
words of cheer given back and forth, as occasion 
demanded, when the warfare grew fierce. 

Eagles, the kind found in Tennessee and 
Northern Alabama, are especially destructive on 
poultry; and Glenn told the boys he would pay 
them well for all the eggs they would capture. 

They set out blithely, carrying a basket to 
receive the eggs, and a stout rope by which they 
were to climb down to the nest, for the special 
haunt of the pair of eagles Crates had in view 
was down a precipitous bluff, so dangerous to 
reach, that, had Glenn known of its location, 
would have insured his veto on the trip. 

But the danger involved only rendered it all 
the more fascinating to the boys, and they were 
in high spirits when the spot was reached. 

Crates descended first. ITe had taken the pre- 
caution to tie a knot about every two feet in the 
rope, that a more secure “hold” might be af- 
forded them when the. ascent was made. These 
“hill” boys, as they are termed in Alabama, were 
skilled in feats of climbing, and their winter 
in the gymnasium had greatly added to their 
physical expertness and powers of endurance. 

The rope was securely fastened to the trunk of 
a tree that stood on the edge of the bluff. The 


220 


A Wee Lassie . 


shelf on which the nest was built was some 
twenty-five or thirty feet from the brow of the 
cliff, and the descent to it was down a sheer 
precipice. 

Jim looked rather grave as he saw. his friend 
seize the rope and step to the edge. They had 
waited until they were sure the birds were gone, 
for neither boy cared to encounter an enraged 
eagle robbed of her eggs; howbeit, the size of 
the bird was much smaller than those found in 
many other localities. 

Crates made the descent in safety, and called 
cheerily back : “Good luck. Thar’s a nest plumb 
fifll. An’ the ole birds air nowhar in sight.” 

The alleged number of eggs was rather a 
strain on his imagination, but he was so excited 
that he forgot, for the moment, his “choice lan- 
guage,” in which Mabel was so carefully drilling 
him, as well as his veracity. 

Jim cautiously lowered the basket, and much 
sport was gained for the boys by this feat. The 
wind was blowing smartly, and the light basket 
swayed about at so lively a rate that Crates at last 
secured it amid much laughter and many jests, 
lie experienced a distinct feeling of trepidation, 
however, while trying to grasp it, as the nar- 
rowness of the ledge on which he stood rendered 
his attempts in this direction rather hazardous. 


A Wee Lassie. 


221 


But he was careful to conceal this fact from Jim, 
who, at a safe distance, only saw in the lively 
swinging about of the basket and his comrades 
many ineffectual attempts to capture it, some- 
thing to laugh over. 

When Crates at last caught and unfastened 
it, Jim seized the rope, and, being of lighter 
weight than his companion, slid easily down, 
landing by his friend’s side in triumph, and ex- 
claiming, as his feet rested on the solid rock: 
“Sakes ! Would’ n we be in er fix ef one or 
t’other should drap to ther bottom ? The one 
what wuz left would’n go arter him, sartin.” 

“But who is goin’ down thar ? I hain’t, nuther 
air you. We’s come here fur eggs, an’ I reckon 
we’ll hev ’nuff to do to git ’em, an’ then speer 
’round a bit to see what else air ^-campin’ onto 
this rock, ’sides eagles,” was Crates’ rejoinder, 
delivered with considerable affectation of scorn. 

The eggs were taken from the nest and safely 
deposited in the basket, and then, as Crates had 
suggested, the boys began cautiously to look 
about them. 

The ledge or shelf of rocks on which they 
stood, ran along the bluff for quite a distance, 
sometimes growing more narrow and then broad- 
ening out several feet beyond its width at the 
point where the nest was located. It offered 


222 


A Wee Lassie . 


them a hazardous but fascinating occupation for 
the next hour to explore this ledge. 

Crates was delighted to find some fine speci- 
mens of maiden-hair fern growing far back in a 
sheltered crevice. These he carefully trans- 
ferred to the basket, placing them over the eggs. 
He knew Mabel would be greatly pleased with 
them, for it was yet early for ferns, and only the 
sheltered place where these were found would 
explain their beauty and size at this date. 

“Reckon we better be a-goin’,” Jim at last 
suggested. “Them eagles may git back any time 
now, an’ I rather not meet ’em ef I kin 
help it.” 

Crates assented, and they wended their way 
back to the spot where they had descended. The 
rope was swinging merrily in the wind, and 
Jim, who was the more nimble of the two, offered 
to capture it. To this Crates offered no objec- 
tions, and for a few moments he watched Jim’s 
vain attempts to secure it with a smiling face. 
But he suddenly grew serious and cast his eyes 
swiftly to the top of the bluff. What he dis- 
covered by that critical glance caused him to say, 
very gravely: 

“Jim, we’s in a purty fix. That rope swings 
off further’n you kin reach it, ’cause the 
rocks on top thar leans out jis’ a leetle beyont 


A Wee Lassie . 


223 


what this ye re shelf duz what we’s standin’ on. 
That’s what made it so hard fur me to git the 
basket. I wuz a plumb fool not to hev seed it 
then. But I ’lowed it wuz on’y the wind 
a-blowin’ so hard what done it; an’ stead o’ 
thet hit ware the wind what bio wed hit and made 
hit swing in so’s I could git hold o’ it at last.” 

Crates’ view of the situation proved to be cor- 
rect. Bor a half-hour they tried in vain to reach 
the rope. The wind was blowing it away from 
the shelf, and there was not weight enough in it 
to bring it in so that it would swing back suffi- 
ciently near for them to grasp it. 

“Wal, we’s in a fix, sho’. Hit ’pears like we’s 
got ter stay down here all night,” Crates said at 
last. His dismay was so great that he had insen- 
sibly glided back into his native vernacular, even 
to “hit,” the use of which Mabel had labored so 
hard to correct in him. 

“Some o’ ther boys ur teachers ’ll come arter 
us in the mornin’, when they finds we aint in,” 
Jim rejoined. “I tolt Jack Sykes an’ Abe 
Brown ’zackly whar we wuz boun’ fur, so they’ll 
know jis’ whar ter come ter look fur us.” 

Then he added, after a moment’s reflection, 
and after he had taken a lengthened survey of 
the blue vault above them: “I’s goin’ ter put 
them eggs back inter the nest ’fore them ole 


224 : 


A Wee Lassie . 


eagles comes. Mebbe they won’t never ’spicion 
thet we totched ’em, an’ won’t bother ns ef they 
sees ther nest an’ ther eggs is thar all right.” 

He quickly carried his thought into execution, 
arranging the nest as nearly as possible as it had 
been before it was robbed. Crates watched him 
without speaking. He was wondering how they 
could possibly spend the night on the narrow 
ledge without tumbling off. 

About sunset the eagles came home. Great 
was their distress when they observed the strange 
figures so near their nest, for, although they had 
crept as far away as the narrow ledge would 
permit, the visitors were still too close to suit 
their inhospitable neighbors. Their wild cries 
and close cir clings about them kept the boys on 
their guard, but the fierce birds did not offer to 
attack them. As darkness settled down they be- 
came more quiet, and at last flew into the shel- 
tered alcove where the nest was hidden away. 

“I say, Jim, ef I on’y hed er rope, I’d tie yer 
fas’ ter this yere rock, what looks like hit mought 
be er hitchin’ post fur night-mars ter hitch ter,” 
Crates announced, before it became so dark as 
to hide their surroundings from view. 

His tone was cheery, almost mirthful. He 
saw that his companion was decidedly nervous 
and he wanted to raise his spirits. 


Together they smiled over the letter. 


























































A Wee Lassie . 


225 


“What ’ud yer want ter tie me fast fur? I 
ain’t er goin’ ter run away. Not much. Wisht 
I mought,” w T as Jim’s reply. 

“But yer see, Jim, I knows yer sometimes gits 
up in yer sleep, ’cause we bunks together. An’ 
’twouldn’t be nuthin’ to larf at ef yer got ter 
rampagin’ ’round yere ter-night. Ef I could 
on’y tie yer up snug an’ tight, ther pullin’ o’ ther 
rope would wake yer up ’fore yer could tumble 
off,” was Grates’ explanatory answer. 

This means of providing for his chum’s safety 
being out of his reach, he at last decided to place 
Jim close up to the face of the bluff, while he 
himself sat by his side, next to the precipice. 

’S’ posin’ yer should git ter rollin’ in ther night 
ez yer sometimes rolls at home. Yer’d go to 
ther bottom, sho’,” Jim objected, when the plan 
was made known to him. 

“Shucks ! I ain’t er goin’ ter sleep none. I 
shan’t even lay down,” was Crates’ rejoinder. 
Then he added, solemnly : “An’ I’s er-goin’ ter 
ax God ter look arter us all night. Ef he don’t 
we’ll be in er bad fix, sartin’.” 

We need not linger over the long night hours, 
nor over Crates’ heroic efforts to keep awake. 
He sat as close to Jim as he could possibly get, 
and kept his hand resting on him the entire 
night. He had mentally constituted himself his 
15 


226 


A Wee Lassie . 


chum’s protector and guardian, and this thought 
gave him such a feeling of importance that it 
aided him not a little in fighting off his tendency 
to sleep. But toward morning his eyes closed in 
spite of all his efforts to keep them open, and 
for several hours he slept soundly, with his body 
leaning over against his friend and his head 
drooping forward until it rested on Jim’s 
shoulder. 

At daylight both boys aroused, and Jim for- 
lornly complained : “I’s mos’ froze stiff. An’ I 
aches all over.” 

Crates tried to divert him by drawing his at- 
tention to the glories of the approaching sunrise, 
and while doing this the sound of voices caught 
their ear. 

“Hit’s Mister Hildegarde. He’s done come 
ter hunt us up,” Jim cried, joyfully. Then he 
sent out a prolonged “whoop,” in which Crates 
joined; and in a few minutes Glenn stood on 
the brow of the cliff above them, peering down. 
Two of the teachers were with him, and several 
of the boys. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


Advancing. 

A RE you hurt ?” Glenn inquired, anxi- 
ously. 

“Ho, sir. We’s all right, ? ceptin ? we hain’t 
washed for breakfast ?” Crates rejoined. “Hez 
the bell rung yit V ’ 

Glenn smiled, much relieved to find them safe 
and in so facetious a mood. 

“But you must surely be rather stiff after a 
night spent on those rocks. My sister is greatly 
troubled about you, Crates. She is sure you are 
at the bottom of the precipice.” 

He saw at once why the rope had swung be- 
yond the reach of the young egg-hunters, and 
soon had it drawn up to the top of the cliff. He 
fastened to it a small but widely-spreading 
branch cut from a bush near by, and when this 
was lowered the boys easily caught one of the 
projecting twigs and secured the rope. 

“Wait a moment. I am not going to risk your 
lives by permitting you to climb the rope until 
I have got another rope fastened under your 
arms,” he exclaimed, as he saw Jim make a 
move as though to ascend at once. 


228 


A Wee Lassie . 


The second rope was soon lowered, in the end 
of which was a noose. 

“Now, Crates, carefully slip this noose under 
your arms, and then you can come up in safety. 
Should you lose your grip we could haul you up 
without difficulty,” Glenn said, looking earnestly 
into the boy’s face. 

He saw, in spite of his cheeriness, that Crates 
was quite pallid, and he was anxious to get him 
to the top of the bluff as speedily as possible. 
Thanks to his long night’s sleep, Jim looked as 
ruddy as usual, while his chum appeared de- 
cidedly the worse for his adventure. For this 
reason Glenn felt he should be the first to be 
rescued. 

But Crates was of a different opinion, as his 
words indicated: “You mus’ take Jim up fust, 
Mister Hildegarde. He’s wuss off ’n I be, fur 
he’s a-akin’ all over.” 

“Bless the boy. If that is not loving his 
neighbor better than he loves himself, then I 
can’t read actions aright,” was Glenn’s thought, 
as he waited for the noose to be adjusted under 
Jim’s arms. 

He had placed this rope over a smooth limb 
of the same tree to which the boys had fastened 
their rope when they made the descent. The 
two teachers. held the end of the rope, assisted 


A Wee Lassie . 


229 


by the interested pupils who were with them. 
In case the ascending boy lost his grip, the 
rescuers would be able to draw him to the top 
of the cliff without trouble, the smooth limb of 
the tree serving as a rude pulley. 

Crates watched his comrade make the ascent 
in safety, and then turned to get his basket of 
ferns. As he did so an idea struck him with 
such force that he exclaimed, aloud: “I’ll do 
it,-sho’.” 

Then he began to arrange his ferns in the 
basket in such a way as to leave room on one 
side for something he evidently meant should 
occupy the space thus cleared. 

He then proceeded to turn his coat-collar up, 
close about his throat. Then he drew his hat 
down over his brow, placed his handkerchief 
about it so as to cover his ears, and tied the ends 
of the handkerchief under his chin. He pre- 
sented a most ludicrous appearance when thus 
attired, but he gave scant heed to this thought. 

“I cumed fur eggs, an’ I’s goin’ to have ’em,” 
he muttered, as he cautiously advanced along 
the rocky ledge toward the niche where the nest 
was located. As he neared the spot the eagles, 
evidently on the alert, arose in the air and cir- 
cled about him, uttering cries of alarm and 
distress. 

Pulling his hat still lower over his eyes, he 


230 


A Wee Lassie . 


made a dash for the nest. He expected to feel 
the birds, with beak and claw, tearing at his 
head and hack. But nothing of the kind oc- 
curred. He secured the eggs and returned to 
the spot where the rope was now dangling — 
with another bushy bough attached to it — with 
no further notice from the eagles than a con- 
tinuation of their cries of distress. 

“That’s funny, sho ? ,” he thought, as he 
reached for the rope and hastened to fasten the 
basket, with its precious burden of eggs, securely 
to the end, “I ’lowed from what I hev heered 
they would hev fit me awful. But Ps plumb 
glad they had on ther comp’ny manners, for 
onct.” 

“How ye kin pull her up,” he said to the 
expectant group above. “Handle her keerful,” 
he admonished, “fur thar’s eggs in her.” 

The basket was landed in safety, and Crates 
speedily followed. Teachers and schoolmates 
welcomed him with much warmth, and Glenn 
said : “Had I known the dangerous place where 
your eagles had chosen to build, I would not 
have given my consent to your making the trip. 
But ‘all ? s well that ends wel, ? so we will not 
spend any useless regrets over the adventure. 
Only let it teach you more care in the future.” 

Considerable amusement was occasioned by 
Crates fantastic adjustment of collar, hat, and 


A Wee Lassie . 


231 


handkerchief, which he had not altered since 
capturing the eggs. 

“I ’lowed the pesky eagles would hev fit me 
bad, an’ I wanted to git kivered up all I could,” 
he explained, joining in the laugh. “But they 
never tried to hurt me a bit,” he added. 

“That is because the eggs had not hatched. 
Had there been eaglets instead of eggs in the 
nest, you would have had a lively time,” Glenn 
said, as they started homeward. 

A little ripple of excitement flowed through 
the school over the adventure of the young egg- 
hunters, but this soon passed away with no 
further result than to give Crates a prestige he 
had not before enjoyed. This came to him be- 
cause Jim loudly proclaimed the fact that his 
chum was “brave enough to mek an’ out an’ out 
gineral,” adding: “I ware skeered mos’ ter 
death, when I foun’ we hed ter stay down on 
them rocks all night. But Crates, he jis’ laughed 
and joked ez easy ez yer please, an’ he staid 
’wake mos’ all night ter watch me, so’s I should’n 
git up in my sleep an’ fall off’n ther rocks. 
Crates air all right, he air, an’ I don’ wonder 
Miss Mabel and Mister Hildegarde thinks er 
heap o’ him.” 

One day, some weeks after the adventure, 
Mabel found an opportunity to have a long talk 
with Crates when he was alone. 


232 


A Wee Lassie . 


She drew his attention to the pin she wore, 
and told him something of what it signified to 
her. Then she said: “You seem to be trying 
so hard, Crates, to do right, that I am anxious 
for you to surrender your whole heart and life 
to Jesus. He can take you and make you just 
the boy he wants you to be.” 

To her surprise his eyes suddenly filled with 
tears. For a moment he was silent. As soon as 
he could command his emotion he said: “I ? s 
been tryin’ to be jis’ what I Towed he wanted 
me to be. But it don’ seem no use. I’s mean 
an’ hateful jis’ the the same, ’pears to me, ez 
before I begun try in’.” 

Very simply and earnestly she explained to 
him where his trouble was, ending with the 
words: “Tie promises in his Word to give you 
a new heart and a new spirit. When you realize 
that your natural heart is so bad that it can’t 
be mended, and will go to him for a new one — 
all soft and tender with his love — you will be a 
different boy. I have brought a letter, Crates, 
that I want to read to you. There are seven of 
them — one for each day in the week. I would 
like to read you this one to-day, another to-mor- 
row, and so on, until you have heard them all. 
They are very helpful letters, written by a man 
who loves boys, and who wants to help them find 
Jesus, and give their whole lives to him.” 


A Wee Lassie . 


233 


Crates expressed a desire to hear the letter, 
and listened attentively while she read it. She 
went through it slowly, taking time to explain 
what she thought he might not understand, and 
going over some portions several times. When 
she had finished it she said: “Now let us kneel 
together, Crates, and ask Jesus to help you 
understand the truths that are in this letter, and 
show you just how to give your heart to him.” 

He dropped on his knees at onee, and Mabel, 
for the first time in her life, prayed aloud. Her 
prayer was a very simple, but a deeply earnest 
one. At its conclusion she said : “Now pray for 
yourself, Crates. You need not talk to Jesus 
aloud, but just ask him, down in your heart, for 
what you feel you need.” 

There was absolute silence for a moment, and 
then she heard him whispering his petition in so 
earnest a manner that she felt sure he was really 
seeking to know Christ as he had never yet 
known him. 

Every day, after that, she read another one 
of the letters to him, and each one seemed to 
impress him more deeply than the former one. 
When they were all finished he said : “Fs ready 
to send for the badge, as ye calls it. I kin write 
? nough now, so I kin sign my name good to the 
paper. Fs sho’ goin’ to ’deavor to be a plumb 
Christian.” 


234 


A Wee Lassie . 


“You understand just what the pledge re- 
quires you to do ?” Mabel inquired. 

“I’s to try, with God’s help>, to live ’zackly 
as I ’bleeves he wants me to. An’ I’s to read the 
Bible every day, an’ go to church reg’lar. I’s 
doin’ it all now, as best I kin, so I feels ready to 
sign the pledge an’ jine the band.” 

Great was his anxiety until the pin came. He 
did not speak of having sent for it to any of the 
boys but Jim, for something in his heart told 
him it must not be lightly or carelessly talked 
about. To Jim, who was his room-mate, he at 
last unbosomed himself quite freely. 

“I shall wait till I kin read the letters Miss 
Mabel read to ye, an’ the pledge fur myself,” 
Jim said. “An’ I kin do it by nex term, mebbe, 
cos I’s l’arnin’ to read mighty fast, Miss Mabel 
says.” 

When at last he saw the pin on the lapel of his 
chum’s coat, and read the initials, “0. E.,” on it, 
he looked very solemn. 

/Ts goin’ to be able to read them letters by 
nex’ term, sho’.” he announced. “An’ I’s goin’ 
to send fur ’em now, so’s to sort o’ ’courage 
myself, ye know.” 

And he did send for them the next day, get- 
ting the address from Mabel. They were letters 
issued in dainty form by a noted Christian En- 
deavor worker, who was a friend of Keith’s. 


CHAPTER XXV. 


Comrades. 

K EITH and Mabel, after the ice was once 
broken, kept up a regular correspondence. 
Both led such busy lives, however, that the let- 
ters were not so frequently exchanged between 
them as Keith could have desired might be the 
case. 

The first school year in Linwood Republic 
rolled rapidly past, and early the following Sep- 
tember, when the second year had opened with a 
fuller roll-call of pupils than even Glenn, who 
had anticipated a large school, had expected, 
Keith made them a flying visit. 

His stay was brief, for business pressed him, 
but he remained quite long enough to grow en- 
thusiastic over the Republic, and over the results 
that he could see were being wrought in the lives 
and character of the pupils. 

He was especially pleased with the change he 
noted in Crates. 

“He really looks like a different person/’ he 
said to Mabel, the day after he reached the Hall. 


236 


A Wee Lassie . 


“I never supposed it possible such a sullen-look- 
ing boy could, in so brief a period, develop into 
the bright-faced, polite youth he now is.” 

Much pleased, Mabel responded: “Yes, we 
are delighted with the way he is developing. If 
nothing else had been accomplished but the 
change we see in him, Glenn and I would feel 
repaid for all that we have done. I believe the 
boy is a true Christian, and his influence over 
the younger pupils is most helpful.” 

“But you — you are looking less strong than 
when I last saw you,” Keith suddenly remarked, 
scanning her face so intently that a wave of color 
dyed her cheek. 

“You must be careful not to over-tax your- 
self,” he added gently. “Your nature is so 
enthusiastic that you might easily injure your- 
self before you were aware of danger.” 

She smilingly assured him that she was in 
perfect health, and was enjoying her work in- 
tensely. 

“For the first time in my life,” she said, hap- 
pily. “I feel that I am engaged in work that 
he — my Elder Brother — is pleased with. I sup- 
pose you can hardly understand what this means 
to me, for you have been so constantly doing his 
work ; for so many years have had your heart 
and hands crowded with plans and labors for 


A Wee, Lassie. 


237 


him, that it has become your very life. But with 
me it is different. This school-work is my first 
taste of real service, and it means more to me 
than I can make you understand.” 

He smiled into her face with an expression 
of approval she had learned to prize, but only 
said : “Come, sit in this window and let me read 
you something. I ran across a gem, the other 
day, in the shape of this little book, and I 
brought it along for you. I used to read these 
poems in German, some years ago, but I never 
saw this translation until recently. The poems 
are by Gerhardt Ter Stergen. I think you once 
told me you did not read German ?” 

“No, I never thought I should like it.” 

“And have you never read any translation of 
Ter Stergen’s songs of praise ?” 

She shook her head, and well-satisfied, he 
said : “I am selfish enough to be glad, for now I 
know I have brought you a mine of wealth. Lis- 
ten : You say I have been full of work for God, 
and it is true. But this saint, who lived away 
back in the dark ages, had mastered something 
that I am only beginning to grope after.” 

Mabel settled herself comfortably on the wide 
window ledge, and Keith stood beside her with 
a flood of autumnal sunshine falling about him 
while he read : 


238 


A Wee Lassie . 


“God’s Rest. 

“Oft comes to me the blessed hour, 

A wondrous hour and still, 

With empty hands I lay me down 
No more to work or will. 

An hour when weary thought has ceased 
The eyes are closed in rest, 

And hushed in heaven’s untroubled peace 
I lean upon thy breast. 

“There lie my books — for all I sought 
My heart possesses now; — 

The words are sweet that tell thy love, 
But Love itself art thou. 

One line I read, and then no more; 

I close the book to see 
No more the symbol and the sign, 

But Christ revealed in me. 

“And thus my worship is delight; 

My work, to see thy face — 

With folded hands and silent lips — 
Within thy holy place. 

Thus oft to busy men I seem 
A cumberer of the soil, 

The dreamer of an empty dream, 

Whilst others delve and toil. 

“I sit, an infant at thy feet, 

Where moments teach me more 
Than all the toil and all the books 
Of all the ages hoar. 

I sought the truth and found but doubt; 

I wandered far abroad; 

I hail the truth I now have found 
Deep in the heart of God.” 


A Wee Lassie . 


239 


Keith’s eyes glowed with joyful emotion as he 
raised them to meet an answering glance from 
Mabel. 

“You see the thought/’ he said, pleased with 
her appreciation. “When I can say, with our 
poet, that all my busy plans for God are laid 
aside, and that: 

“ ‘I sit, an infant at his feet, 

Where moments teach me more 
Than all the toil and all the books 
Of all the ages hoar/ 

♦ 

and again where the same thought is repeated 
when he says : 

“ ‘And thus my worship is delight; 

My work — to see thy face 
With folded hands and silent lips — 

Within thy holy place/ 

I shall, perhaps, be where he can really accom- 
plish something through me. For, after all, it 
is what he can do through us, and not what we 
can do for him, that really counts.” 

“Yes, I know. I came across that thought 
in an article I was reading the other day. It 
said that it means far more for one to be so 
absolutely yielded to God that he can use us to 
accomplish his plans through us, than for us to 
get his help in accomplishing our own plans for 
him,” Mabel rejoined, with thoughtful eyes 
lifted to Keith. 


240 


A Wee Lassie . 


“I am glad this precious but elusive and un- 
popular truth has been brought to your attention. 
It will repay earnest investigation. So will the 
poem I have just read. But here is another. It 
sets my pulses leaping as the sound of martial 
music used to do when I was a chap. It is called 
by our poet : 

The Pilgrim Song/ 

and is based on the thought of God having led 
his people of old through the dangers of the wil- 
derness by the pillar of cloud by day, and the 
pillar of fire by night, which was to them merely 
the visible sign of his Presence among them.” 

As he spoke Keith again turned to the little 
volume he held in his hand and began to read : 

“Come, children, on and forward! 

With us the Father goes; 

He leads us and he guards us 
Through thousands of our foes. 

The sweetness and the glory, 

The sunlight of his eyes 
Make all the desert places 
To glow as paradise. 

“Lo! through the pathless midnight, 

The fiery pillar leads, 

And onward goes the Shepherd 
Eefore the flock he feeds. 

Unquestioning, unfearing, 

The lambs may follow on 
In quietness and confidence, 

Their eyes on him alone. 


A Wee Lassie . 


241 


“Come, children, on and forward! 

We journey hand in hand, 

And each shall cheer his brother 
All through the stranger land. 

And hosts of God’s high angels 
Beside us walk in white ; 

What wonder if our singing, 

Makes music through the night?” 

“Come, children, on and forward ! 

Each moment nearer home; 

The pilgrim days speed onward, 

And soon the last will come. 

All hail, 0 golden city ! 

How near the shining towers; 

Fair gleams our Father’s palace, 

That radiant home of ours. 

“On! Dare and suffer all things! 

Yet, but a stretch of road — 

Then, wondrous words of welcome, 

And then — the face of God. 

The world, how small and empty! 

Our eyes have looked on Him ; 

The mighty Sun has risen, 

The taper burneth dim. 

“Far, through the depths of heaven, 

Our Jesus leads his own, 

The mighty One, the lovely One, 

Christ ever, Christ alone. 

Led captive by his sweetness, 

And dowered with his bliss, 

Forever he is ours; 

Forever we are his.” 

As Keith ended his reading and closed the 
volume, an eloquent hush brooded over the two 

16 


242 


A W ee Lassie . 


friends. Neither felt disposed to break it for 
some moments. Mabehs eyes were dewy with 
deep feeling, seeing which Keith at length said : 

“If I were not afraid of wearying you I 
would venture to read a few more stanzas from 
a companion poem which bears the same title — 
‘A Pilgrim Song/ To me, who am consciously 
in the heat and stress of the battle, it is even 
more beautiful and inspiring than the other.” 

“I shall be glad to hear it. I could never 
weary listening to such helpful lines,” was 
Mabel’s low answer. So Keith again opened 
his little book and began : 

“On, 0 beloved children! 

The evening is at hand, 

And desolate and fearful 

Spreads out the dreary land. 

But children, on to glory, — 

With every face set fast 
To reach the golden city 

Where we shall rest at last. 

“It was with voice of singing 
We left the land of night 
To pass, in joyful music, 

Far onward, out of sight. 

0 children! would ye sorrow? 

Though thousand worlds be lost, 

Our EYES HAVE LOOKED ON JESUS, 

And thus we count the cost. 


A Wee Lassie. 


243 


‘‘Across the will of nature 
Leads on the path of God, 

Not where the flesh delighteth 
The feet of Jesus trod. 

0 bliss ! to leave behind us 
The fetters of' the slave, . 

To leave ourselves behind us, 

The grave clothes and the grave ! 

“To speed, unburdened pilgrims, 

Glad, empty-handed, free; 

To cross the trackless deserts, 

And walk upon the sea. 

As strangers among strangers, 

No home beneath the sun; 

How soon the wanderings ended, 

The encliess rest begun! 

“We pass the children playing, 

For evening shades fall fast; 

We pass the wayside flowers, 

God’s paradise, at last. 

If now the path be narrow, 

And steep, and rough, and lone, 

If crags and tangles cross it, 

Praise God! we will go on. 

“We follow in his footsteps; 

What if our feet be torn? 

Where he has marked the pathway 
All hail the briar and thorn ! 

Scarce seen, scarce heard, unreckoned; 
Despised , defamed, unknown, 

Or heard but by our singing; 

On, children! Ever on!” 

As he ceased reading another silence fell over 
them, which lasted many minutes. Each heart 
was busy with its own thoughts, suggested by the 


244 


A Wee Lassie . 


pregnant lines just read. At last Mabel broke it 
by saying: “Unlike you, I enjoyed the first one 
of the ‘Pilgrim Songs/ better than the last. It 
has a ring, a fire, that appeals to me as the other 
does not.” 

Keith smiled. “That is not strange. You 
have not yet reached the point in the onward 
march where the way is “steep and rough and 
lone.” I have gotten where I must often repeat 
th£se words, making them my very own: 

“ ‘I follow in his footsteps ; 

What though my feet be torn? 

Where he has marked the pathway, 

All hail the briar and thorn !’ ” 

Mabel looked questioningly and with silent 
sympathy into his face, seeing which he laughed 
and added : 

“Ko, no. I am in no particular need of 
your commiseration. But I am peculiarly 
alone in the world. I have no ‘kith nor 
kin/ to my knowledge, on this side of the ocean, 
and only distant relatives in England. And my 
work on the editorial staff of a great religious 
weekly brings me, at times, because of my settled 
convictions of right and wrong on many points 
where my associates differ, in direct conflict with 
them. There have been numerous occasions 
when I knew, if my protests were not heeded, 
I would be forced to withdraw from the paper, 


A Wee Lassie . 


245 


for I dare not give my assent nor my influence 
to the least thing my Elder Brother shows me 
he cannot place his seal upon.” 

“I can understand that, very fully,” Mabel 
said, evincing so much interest that Keith con- 
tinued : 

“And my work among the news-boys and 
boot-blacks has brought considerable censure 
upon me, and much opposition. My associates 
think I am giving too much time to them, and 
want me to place the mission in the hands of 
some minister of the gospel. They are inclined 
to send me out, especially of late, into the field 
as the travelling correspondent, more frequently 
than was ever thought of until this mission ques- 
tion came between us. They seem determined 
to separate me entirely from this work, which is 
the nearest to my heart and about the most im- 
portant service, in my own estimation, in which 
I am engaged. 

Keith paused a moment, but Mabel encour- 
aged him to continue by saying: “I am deeply 
interested in what you tell me. And I can see „ 
that you ought not to give up the boys, for God 
has endowed you with a special faculty for win- 
ning and helping them.” 

“Thank you for your kind words. Sometimes 
I have felt that it may be possible I am to devote 


246 


A Wee Lassie. 


my entire time in the not distant future, to mis- 
sion work. I am deeply interested in an enter- 
prise under the auspices of the Young Men’s 
Christian Association of our city, where a meet- 
ing is held, one evening in each week, down in 
the worst neighborhood of the slums. And God 
is blessing this work, for men are being reached 
and saved there, continually.” 

Never before had Keith opened his heart to 
Mabel as he was now doing. He added: “So 
you see many problems are confronting me. If 
I withdraw from the paper I lose my salary, 
my influence, and, to a considerable extent, my 
prestige. But the one thing I care to know is 
this : Where does my Elder Brother want me to 
be.” “You will notice,” he added, with a 
smile, “that I have adopted as my own, wee 
Lassie’s title for her Lord. It clings to me and I 
like it.” 

“So do I,” was Mabel’s simple rejoinder. 

This conversation, with the reading that had 
preceded it, brought Mabel and Keith into a 
closer feeling of comradeship than had ever be- 
fore existed between them, and when he left Lin- 
wood the following day, his eyes lingered on her 
face with a tenderness that bespoke strong 
friendship and admiration for the winsome and 
glad-hearted maiden. 


CHAPTER XXVI 


Danger. 



ESPITE Mabel’s assurance to Keith that 


JLy her health was perfect, the coming of 
spring found her pale and languid to such a 
degree that Glenn became troubled. 

The unusual confinement in the school-room, 
added to her tireless vigilance in striving to aid 
her brother in every possible way to reach and 
elevate the pupils under their care — for she was 
fully aware of her influence in the school — had 
taxed her strength more than she was aware. 

“I am going to send you up among the moun- 
tains of Virginia, this summer, that you may 
win back your roses,” Glenn said to her one 
evening late in May. 

His sister opened her eyes wide in astonish- 
ment at this declaration. 

“Alone ?” she questioned, with a little frown 
marring her usually placid brow. 

“A friend of mine, Victor Rodney, you know 
him, is going to Wytheville in June. He will 
be glad to look after your comfort while making 
the trip. The Tynes — they are couisns of ours, 
three removed — live just out of Tazewell. Their 


248 


A Wee Lassie . 


home is an ideal one, and they have long wanted 
us to visit them. You can go on in June, and, 
if you are perfectly restored by September, I 
will run up for a few days, take a snitf of the 
mountain air, get better acquainted with our 
relatives, and bring you home with me. How 
does the plan suit you?” And Glenn looked 
smilingly into her face. 

“How do you know that I will be welcomed 
by the Tynes ? They have never met me.” 

“That will be all right. They are in the habit 
of taking a few guests from the city every sum- 
mer to board, and I am sure they will be pleased 
to count a relative among the number. I will 
write to Cousin Anna this very day. I was 
charmed with the family and the home, as well 
as with the picturesque scenery and pure air 
when I was with them for a few days, some 
years ago, just after I returned from abroad. 
I fell in quite accidentally with Cousin Horace 
Tynes in Hew York, and he insisted that I must 
go home with him, which I did, greatly to my 
enjoyment.” 

Mabel, by degrees, began to accept this plan, 
not only as a wise precaution against the possi- 
bility of debility and invalidism getting their 
dreaded grasp upon her, but also as a pleasant 
way in which to spend the summer. Glenn ex- 











ti 





>> 


(Page 275.) 








A Wee Lassie. 


249 


pectecl to be absent from Linwood a great deal 
during the heated term, in the interests of the 
school, and this would leave her very lonely 
should she remain at home. 

And, after the matter had once been presented 
to her, she found herself insensibly longing for 
the bracing air of a more northern latitude than 
Alabama offered. 

Both Mr. and Mrs. Hildegarde were Vir- 
ginians by birth, and Glenn and Mabel had 
always felt a strong affection for this noble 
State. 

Thus, all things considered, it was with pleas- 
ing expectations of improvement in strength as 
well as an enjoyable summer, that the middle of 
June found her en route for her cousin’s home. 
A letter had come in quick response to Glenn’s 
missive of inquiry, extending a warm invitation 
for her to pay the contemplated visit, and pro- 
mising her so many sources of diversion that 
Mabel had laughingly said to Glenn, as the letter 
was read : 

“Dear me ! I feel quite giddy and dis- 
sipated already, from merely hearing about 
the picnics and drives and afternoon teas await- 
ing me. I have had such a busy, quiet life for so 
long a time now, that I shall hardly know how to 
behave when I get among a lot of merry young 


250 


A Wee Lassie . 


people, whose only thought is how best to have a 
good time.” 

Her brother smiled a little sadly because of 
her pale cheeks, as he replied: “It is the very 
thing you need. And the people Cousin Anna 
draws about her are not the giddy, light-headed 
sort. They believe in wholesome fun and inno- 
cent recreation, but their lives are set to noble 
music, as you will discover when you are among 
them. And I am the more glad that you are 
to be under our cousin’s cheery influence, 
because I blame myself for your threatened 
break-down. Had I not been so absorbed in the 
affairs of the Republic I would have watched 
more carefully and not permitted you to over-tax 
yourself. And I ought to have made it my busi- 
ness to guard you more closely than I have 
done.” 

Of course Mabel hastened, very sincerely, to 
assure him that no one was in the least to blame 
but herself for her languid condition, but this 
did not relieve Glenn from his feeling of self- 
reproach. 

Her brother’s friend, Mr. Victor Rodney, 
proved to be a genial gentleman of middle age, 
who had recently married a very beautiful and 
charming lady to whom he had been engaged 
for over ten years, and who was now in Virginia. 


A Wee Lassie. 


251 


Mabel listened with great interest and sympathy 
to his account of their long engagement, and the 
reasons for the delay of the marriage. And so 
lively was her appreciation of his present happi- 
ness in having at last secured the treasure he had 
so long coveted, and also of his desire to hasten 
to her side, that she remarked to him, with a mis- 
chievous smile, as their train was flying at its 
highest rate of speed, northward : 

“I presume the cars seem to you to be moving 
at a snail's pace. I am sure I should feel thus 
were 1 in your place.” 

“That is true. IIow well you understand my 
feelings. Although, of course, I am grateful for 
the privilege of enjoying your society on this 
long trip, I am still impatient to reach Wythe- 
ville. And who can blame me ?” 

“Hot I,” and Mabel laughed, half amused and 
wholly sympathetic. 

Mr. "Rodney proved to be of so genial a nature 
that he soon made a number of acquaintances 
among the gentlemen on the train, and, as Mabel 
was often absorbed in a book with which she had 
provided herself, he spent much time in the 
“smoker,” thus leaving her to her own reflec- 
tions, a fact she greatly enjoyed. 

For some reason, not at first explained to her, 
her escort had chosen, when they reached Knox- 


252 


A Wee Lassie . 


ville, to leave tlie more popular route by the way 
of Bristol, and take a less travelled road by the 
way of Cumberland Gap, Norton and Cedar 
Bluff. This change, however, was of small mo- 
ment to Mabel, for Mr. Rodney assured her the 
views were far more wild and picturesque on this 
road than on the other, and this was most ac- 
ceptable news to her, as she was an ardent lover 
of mountain scenery, and the wilder it proved 
the more she enjoyed it. 

And wild enough she found it as they passed 
from Cumberland Gap, eastward. To nerves 
less steady than hers, the high trestles over which 
they frequently rolled, and the sheer precipices 
often yawning on one side of the train, with a 
solid wall of nature’s masonry on the other, 
proved rather trying. But to Mabel it was only 
pleasantly exhilirating. She was built of heroic 
material, although few tests had ever met her 
by which this could be ascertained. 

From the moment of starting northward 
she had perceptibly improved in strength, her 
lassitude dropping away from her as a weari- 
some garment drops unheeded from a child’s 
shoulders. Her appetite became so keen that 
she laughingly declared that she felt herself 
capable of devouring two luncheons the size of 
this they have set before me.” 


A Wee Lassie . 


253 


This was at Cumberland Gap, where break- 
fast was brought to the train, the stop being too 
brief for the passengers to go out for a regular 
meal. 

“We shall reach Tazewell by sunset/’ Mr. 
Rodney said to her, cheerfully, as they rolled 
along on their way, as swiftly as the curves and 
the heavy grades would permit. 

He was in high spirits, for he knew when 
Mabel’s destination was reached his own would 
speedily follow, and a mental vision of the 
cheery welcome awaiting him made him more 
genial than ever. 

“At Norton I find we will have to wait an 
hour and ten minutes to make connection,” he 
added, later. “But even with this break we will 
make the trip much quicker by coming this way 
than if we had gone the other.” 

“But how did you manage about my ticket ?” 
Mabel questioned, suddenly recalling the fact 
that Glenn had said they were to pass through 
Bristol. 

“I told your brother only to buy your ticket 
as far as Knoxville, for I was uncertain which 
route I would take until I reached there. The 
fare is about the same both ways, but this is the 
nearer route, and brings us to Tazewell several 
hours earlier than if we had gone by Bristol.” 


254 


A Wee Lassie . 


“I see,” Mabel said, with a mischievous dim- 
ple in her cheek. “I did not understand until 
now why you chose this road. But to gain a 
few hours means much, when one is homesick 
to meet a dear friend.” 

“That is so. And I was sure you would not 
mind the change, although I find the accommo- 
dations on this road are rougher than I expected. 
This is my first trip over it. Is not the scenery 
magnificent ?” 

It certainly was, and Mabel feasted her eyes 
to her heart’s content on the ever-varying pano- 
rama spread out before her. Wilder and still 
more rugged grew the outlook as they advanced, 
until she saw that Mr. Rodney was growing a 
trifle nervous as he glanced out from time to 
time, to note the extreme height of many of the 
trestles over which they passed. 

But her nerves remained as steady as though 
she were at home in the drawing-room with 
Glenn, and the thought of possible danger only 
keyed her into a more exalted frame of mind, 
and turned her mental gaze more incessantly 
inward, where the Divine One ever kept watch, 
as she entrusted herself to his guardianship, 
that her peace should remain unbroken. 

At Horton the hour for waiting lengthened 
into two. Passengers grew restless. Mr. Rod- 


A Wee Lassie . 


255 


nev, with a frown on liis brow, walked back and 
forth along the rude platform, evidently much 
disturbed by the unexpected delay. 

When Mabel questioned him at last, he said : 
“There has been an accident in the tunnel, just 
ahead of us. A freight train was wrecked there 
this morning, and we are waiting for the track 
to be cleared. Probably we can move out in 
* another half-hour. 

But another full hour passed and still they 
did not proceed. 

Dinner was at last obtained at a rude board- 
ing-house near the depot, the passengers aban- 
doning all hope of reaching, at least in time to 
satisfy their clamorous appetites, the usual point 
where meals were served. 

The fare, though simple and plainly spread, 
was well cooked, and Mabel made a most enjoya- 
ble meal. While at the table she heard various 
comments from their fellow-passengers on the 
accident that caused the delay. 

“Pm not going to venture through/’ one gen- 
tleman remarked. “I know something of the 
tunnels in this section, and I do not care to take 
any risk. T shall wait over, and take the cut 
through the Gap in the morning.” 

“I have got to reach Cedar Blutf to-night, so 
I shall push on as soon as the train is made up. 


256 A Wee Lassie . 

What is the special source of danger ?” another 
inquired. 

“Well, a heavy freight could hardly tumble 
over with such force as to break down two of the 
main supports, without rendering the tunnel un- 
safe. And there will not be sufficient time to 
replace the supports to-day.” 

“They have a large gang of men at work. I 
walked down to see about it,” remarked a third. 

The first speaker shook his head, saying : “The 
rock is easily loosened, all through this section, 
and many persons deem the tunnel unsafe at all 
times. Your train may get through all right. 
I hope it will. But I beg to be excused from 
making the trip.” 

Mabel raised her eyes with some anxiety to 
Mr. Rodney’s face. They had both been silent 
listeners to the conversation. 

“Do not feel nervous,” he said, in a low voice. 
“Our conductor will not go through if there is 
danger.” Then he added, in a louder tone, ad- 
dressing the gentleman across the table who had 
first spoken: “Should the tunnel prove unsafe, 
could not the passengers walk around and meet 
the train at the other end ?” 

“Hardly, when on each side there is a solid 
wall reaching to a height I dare not mention 
lest you should doubt my word,” was the reply. 


A Wee Lassie . 


257 


“Do not feel apprehensive,” Mr. Rodney said 
to Mabel, when, after five hours of weary wait- 
ing, the train at last whistled, and they took 
their seats in the car. “The conductor would 
take no needless risk. If he deems it safe to go 
through, we need feel no uneasiness.” 

But that he felt restless and oppressed, in 
spite of his words, was evident. 


17 


CHAPTER XXVII. 

Some Breathless Moments. 

T HE train ran slowly out from the depot, as 
though feeling its way through impending 
dangers, and stopped several times before it 
reached the point about which every one’s inter- 
est centered.* 

Once, just as it neared the tunnel’s frowning 
arch, it halted, then retreated slowly along the 
rails until it almost reached the little station 
whence it had so recently emerged. 

Mabel — who was alone in her seat, for Mr. 
Rodney, with the majority of the other male 
passengers, was somewhere in a forward coach 
seeking information, or rather on the lookout 
for it— decided that the conductor had felt the 
risk of making the passage through the injured 
tunnel too great to be incurred, and had thus 
gone back. 

Doubtless they would have to spend the night 
at Xorton. 

But just as she reached this conclusion they 
again moved forward, and this time, as they 
neared the black opening where untold dangers 
might be lurking to engulf them, they did not 


A Wee Lassie . 


259 


stop. But the engine slackened its speed as it 
passed into the shadow of the gloomy arch until 
it moved so slowly that Mabel several times 
thought it had really stopped. She glanced 
nervously about the car and noticed that every 
passenger wore a strained and anxious expres- 
sion. The ladies among them — there were only 
four besides herself — looked, in the dim light 
thrown out by the lamps, quite pallid, — almost 
haggard. 

A sudden, overpowering feeling of alarm; a 
sense of danger so imminent and awful began 
to take possession of her that, for a moment she 
felt a nervous inclination to weep, to shriek, to 
escape, she knew not where. One of the ladies 
behind her gave a little gasp of terror once or 
twice, but was speedily checked by her com- 
panion, an elderly woman, who said : 

“You would better pray than weep, child. 
Only God can guard us now, for we are in great 
peril.” 

And then a seemingly breathless silence fell 
over the car, broken only at intervals by the 
labored sob of the engine, mingled, once and 
again, with a long blast from the whistle. The 
latter, however, held a muffled note that made it 
sound most wierd and unnatural, and only added 


260 


A Wee Lassie . 


to the gruesome feeling that was clutching — 
like a hand of ice — around Mabel’s heart-strings. 

And then, while the tension was at its height, 
as she looked from the window she saw, close on 
either side, human forms. Each one was stand- 
ing — straight and stiff — fitted into a narrow 
niche that seemed as if it might have been cut 
in the solid rock on purpose to receive its present 
occupant. Every man held a blazing torch above 
his head, and Mabel noted, with a fresh thrill 
of terror, that the heavy faces all bore the same 
expression of anxiety that marked the counte- 
nances on the train. 

“If disaster should come to us through the 
falling in of the tunnel, it doubtless means death 
to every one of those brave fellows, and they 
know it,” she thought, with a pitying glance 
toward them. 

And then, slowly, hesitatingly, as she began 
fully to comprehend how unmistakably death 
seemed closing in about her; realized how the 
slightest jar from their creeping train might 
precipitate — in the twinkling of an eye — an 
avalanche of mighty boulders upon them, she 
absolutely, so far as she understood her own 
heart — and after a few moments spent in 
prayer — surrendered her grasp on life. Glenn, 
her home, the school, Keith, all her youthful 


A Wee Lassie. 


261 


hopes and plans, were relinquished, and her soul 
breathed out from its deepest depths these 
words : 

“If this is thy time, dear Elder Brother, to 
take me to thyself, I am willing to go. I am 
under the blood. I am thine. Thou art mine. 
Take me or spare me, as seemeth to thee good.” 

On the instant such a full, sweet flood of joy 
swept over her that, for a brief space of time 
she was dazed. It seemed to her that a lumi- 
nous, divine ether filled her being until she 
almost felt that she was going to float up through 
the vaulted stone roof of the tunnel — up — up 
into the open arms of God. 

And then, in another moment she became 
quiet and calm, and conscious that, in some mys- 
terious way her Lord had revealed himself to 
her as she had never before known him. 

This, was inexplicable to her. She had no key 
with which to unlock the mystery, yet she knew 
that her heart now rested in his love and care 
with an abandonment of joy and trust she had 
never before experienced. 

In the realization of this fact she — for a few 
moments — forgot her danger. Then she thought : 
“Probably we are to die, and this is God’s wav 
of preparing me for death. How good he is 
thus to take from me all dread and all fear.” 


262 


A Wee Lassie . 


But as the seconds passed, bringing with them 
no fresh development of danger, she began to 
realize that her life was not to end at this time, 
as she had supposed was to be the case. In quiet 
expectancy she waited. 

When the train at last emerged from the tun- 
nel, moving so slowly and softly that it almost 
seemed like a great shadow creeping along, 
Mabel’s fellow-passengers evinced their relief 
from the awful danger through which they had 
passed, in various ways. Some laughed, others 
wept, and still others tried to talk in a careless 
tone, as though unaware of any special cause 
for rejoicing. 

As the engine gathered power and began to 
move forward at its normal rate of speed, Mr. 
Rodney entered the car, coming from the smoker, 
where he had been seated during their passage 
through the tunnel. 

“How great was the danger V 9 Mabel ques- 
tioned, as he took a seat by her side. 

“It is hard to tell. Very serious, though, I 
am sure. The conductor took a great risk in 
coming through.” 

At the first station where a halt was made a 
telegram brought the startling intelligence that 
just as the train glided out from its shadow the 


A Wee Lassie. 


263 


tunnel had caved in, entombing every workman 
in its ruins . 1 

Mabel’s heart sent up a cry of thanksgiving 
for the deliverance of the train, and also a plead- 
ing prayer that the men in the tunnel, if possi- 
ble, might be spared. 

Later news brought the gratifying assurance 
that the majority of them had escaped, their 
position in the niches close up against the solid 
wall, from which only a few had moved when 
the crash came, had been their salvation. They 
had realized the danger of a collapse from 
the unavoidable jar given the tunnel by the 
moving train, and had been slow to resume 
their work until the cars were out of the 
arch. And the crash came at the moment the 
train emerged into the open 'air, although those 
on board did not know of it until Cedar Bluff 
was reached, when the telegram from Norton 
announcing the disaster, met them. 

Mabel received a warm welcome from her 
cousins at Tazewell, and many expressions of 
sympathy for the trying ordeal through which 
she had just nassed, were poured upon her. She 


1 This account of the tunnel disaster and Mabel’s experience is 
true in almost every detail. 


264 


A Wee Lassie . 


met the latter with the quiet assurance that she 
would not have missed the experience for a great 
deal, but did not explain her reasons. 

Great was her surprise on the day following 
her arrival at her‘ relatives’ hospitable home, to 
see Kelso Keith coming up the front walk. He 
had been called to Virginia on business, and 
knowing the date of her intended visit, had so 
timed his movements as to meet her. 

Great was her joy in seeing him, for her heart 
was longing to tell into some sympathetic ear 
her wonderful experience while in the tunnel. 

Keith listened to her words with an attentive 
face, and the glow that shone from his eyes as 
he turned them upon her, at the close of her 
simple recital, proved that he understood and 
appreciated the spiritual enlargement which had 
come to her. 

“You have received your anointing for ser- 
vice,” he said in a low tone. “Hereafter, if you 
are true to him, the dear Elder Brother will use 
you as never before.” 

“I am conscious of his presence since that 
hour, as I never dreamed it possible I could 
know him while in the flesh. A veil seems to 
have been rent between my soul and God, and I 
am beginning to realize what a sweet and solemn 
thing it is to really belong to Christ,” and 


A Wee Lassie . 


265 


Mabel’s face, as she spoke, was bathed with a 
light which proved that the inner temple of her 
soul was filled — as never before since Keith had 
known her — with the Spirit of God. 

He lingered two days in Tazewell, and the 
Tynes’ household seemed to understand that his 
visits to their guest were not those of an ordinary 
acquaintance, for, when he called Mabel was 
always left alone to entertain him. 

When he at last took his departure a new 
circlet adorned her finger, seeing which, Mrs. 
Tynes — to whom Mabel had turned with instinc- 
tive affection — playfully touched — saying: “I 
do not remember to have seen this before. What 
a beautiful stone !” 

“It is my engagement ring,” Mabel responded, 
frankly. “I have promised to become Mr. 
Keith’s wife as soon as my brother can fill my 
place in the school. This may not be for a long 
time, but Mr. Keith is willing to wait.” 

Could she have seen Glenn at that very mo- 
ment she would have fancied her place might 
be more easily and speedily filled than she 
imagined. He was sitting with Agnes Hudson 
on the little piazza of the missionary’s cottage 
on the bluffs above the convict camp, and some- 
thing in his eyes and tone so betrayed the love 
that filled his heart for the lovely and noble 


266 


A Wee Lassie. 


woman by his side, that, for the first time since 
they met, her eyes drooped in confusion under 
his glance. 

Cupid can send his noiseless shafts into un- 
wary victims, even under the shadow of so un- 
sightly an excrescence on our social life as is a 
convict encampment, and before the summer 
waned the missionary’s daughter became aware 
that one of those glittering arrows was securely 
buried in the depths of her own heart, and that 
only the presence of Glenn Hildegarde had 
power to assuage the sweet and mysterious pain 
the wound caused her. 

“But who will take my place with the poor 
convict boys ?” she questioned, as August merged 
into September, and the engagement between 
them had been announced to her parents, greatly 
to the satisfaction of the latter. 

“Cousin Kate will be only too glad to do so,” 
Mrs. Hudson replied. “We can place a reliable 
woman in charge of the housekeeping and leave 
Kate free to fill your place in the work. She is 
well-fitted for the position, for before she came 
to us she was matron in a large orphan asylum 
in Nashville.” 

Thus it transpired that only a few weeks fol- 
lowing Mabel’s engagement, Glenn wrote her of 
his own, and Keith soon learned that he need 


A Wee Lassie. 


267 


not wait so long before he claimed his bride as 
he had at first thought must be the case. 

The missive announcing Glenn’s happiness 
reached her just as she was starting on one of 
her numerous drives with her cousin. 

It was a pleasure to share the secret with this 
sympathetic friend, and together they smiled 
over the letter, Mrs. Tynes, who was only a few 
years her senior, seeming to be almost as excited 
and as joyous over the news as was Mabel. 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 


A Parting Glance. 

T HREE years have elapsed since our last 
chapter was written. During the last 
twenty-eight months of this period Mabel Hilde- 
garde has written her name Mabel Keith, and 
life to her has become a more sweet and solemn 
gift than ever before. 

She has thrown herself into her husband’s 
mission work among the news-boys and boot- 
blacks he has gathered into his hall, with all the 
ardor of her enthusiastic nature, and as this 
ardor has passed through the refining fire of the 
Holy Spirit ; and has also received" the imprint 
of power that comes alone from him, the result 
of her labors has been most gratifying to those 
interested in the fruit gathered from this neg- 
lected portion of the Master’s vineyard. 

Her experience gained among the citizens of 
Linwood Republic has been of inestimable value 
to her in her labors with the street gamins of 
Chicago, and many a city urchin has received, 
through her, just the help and sympathy needed 
to arouse his dormant manliness into active life, 
because of those two years previously spent 


A Wee Lassie . 


269 


among the neglected boys of her loved South- 
land. 

One of the sweetest incidents connected with 
her life in the mission came to her a few weeks 
after her marriage. She was early in the hall, 
one evening, practicing a piece of music she 
wished to sing with the hoys. Her husband had 
not yet joined her. The editorial rooms were 
above the mission hall, and he was sometimes 
detained until the last moment by pressure of 
office work. 

A young man entered the hall, and seeing 
Mabel at the organ at once came to her. His 
bearing marked him as belonging to the cultured 
class of society, and Mabel wondered what had 
brought him to the mission. 

She was not left long in doubt. He inquired 
for Mr. Keith, and while she was explaining that 
her husband would soon be in, the stranger fixed 
his eyes on the silver pin on the bosom of her 
gown. With a smile he raised his hand, and 
calling her attention to a similar one adorning 
the lapel of his coat, he said : 

“My name is Dupont. Mr. Keith helped me 
out of the mire of sin a few years back by 
introducing me to his Captain. And through 
him I was led to wear this pin as an out- 
ward sign that my heart was given to Christ and 


270 


A Wee Lassie . 


that I was endeavoring to serve him. I had 
previously worn a badge that proclaimed me 
a follower of Satan. I am passing through 
the city, and have called to see Mr. Keith to 
thank him for the interest shown me when I was 
a stranger to him, and also a stranger to God.” 

At this moment Keith himself entered the 
room, and it is needless to say that a precious 
half-hour of fellowship ensued. 

Young Dupont, it seemed, was a regular 
worker in the interests of the Young Men’s 
Christian Association movement, and was now 
on his way West on a mission connected with 
the advancement of this cause, fie remained 
with Keith and Mabel until the close of the 
night’s service, and rendered efficient help by 
telling the hoys, in an interesting and effective 
manner, of some of his bitter experiences while 
he was the slave of sin and of Satan, and the 
joy that had come to him since he had changed 
masters. 

“The pin has been no end of help to me,” he 
said to Keith, just before he left. “Often when 
under temptation, especially in the earlier 
months of my experience, I am sure I should 
have yielded had not the badge caught my at- 
tention at just the right moment and breathed 
to me: ‘I am his.’ May God bless every man 


A Wee Lassie . 


271 


who devises means for helping-young people who 
want to do right. And may he bless you for 
scattering the Christian Endeavor pledges and 
pins where help is so sorely needed.” 

This brief visit was a most pleasing episode 
in Keith’s busy life, and that night as he and 
Mabel knelt together beside their family altar, 
he thanked God from a full heart for permitting 
him to have been the means, in his hands, of 
turning Wallace Dupont from a life of sin into 
a life of service for Christ. 

When Agnes Hudson became Glenn Hilde- 
garde’s wife, which event occurred just one 
month previous to Mabel’s marriage to Keith, 
she brought to him not only a heart filled with 
wifely love and devotion, but also a nature and 
an experience that fitted her in an especial man- 
ner for being a helpmeet to him in the work to 
which he had dedicated his life. 

Even Citizen Welldon, who, at first, felt that 
the Republic could never again be the success 
it had proven while Mabel was with them, soon 
acknowledged that: “Mrs. Hildegarde under- 
stood how to help a fellow ’most as well as Miss 
Mabel.” 

This was the highest praise his loyalty to 
Mabel would permit him to voice, but he soon 
became a staunch friend to Agnes, and, under 


272 


A Wee Lassie . 


her fostering care, he now begins to cherish the 
ambition of becoming, at some future day, an 
officer and teacher in the Republic. 

Nearly all the features of the Freeville insti- 
tution have now been incorporated into the Lin- 
wood commonwealth, with some modifications 
which the Principal feels are an improvement. 

For the past year the real government has 
been almost wholly entrusted to the “citizens,” 
Glenn feeling that they had become sufficiently 
developed and trained to assume this responsi- 
bility, under his own general oversight, assisted 
by the teachers. The latter are called “Gov- 
ernors,” and stand shoulder to shoulder with the 
Principal in all his plans for the improvement 
of the institution. 

A large store has been added during the past 
two years, where all the supplies, clothing in- 
cluded, which the citizens need, can be obtained. 
One of the mottos of the Republic has been from 
the beginning the Scriptural one : 

“That if any would not work, neither should 
he eat,” and this is rigidly enforced. A citizen 
enjoys more or less of the accommodations about 
him, including a more handsomely furnished 
sleeping apartment as compared with a smaller 
and less comfortable one; also finer or coarser 
clothing, in proportion to his labors. 



PRINCIPAL GLENN. 


(Page 276.) 






A Wee Lassie . 


273 


All work is graded according to its quality 
and the amount performed, and the citizen who 
is industrious, painstaking and careful, is re- 
warded for his industry, care, and skill, by re- 
ceiving wages in proportion. 

This proves a potent factor in promoting dili- 
gence and faithfulness in all the branches of 
labor taught. And there are some ten or twelve 
of the citizens who are turning off really remark- 
able work, considering their years, and the time 
they have been in the Republic. Among these 
are Citizens Welldon, Allen and Ridley, with 
four boys from Selma, Alabama, and two from 
Arkansas, while Birmingham boasts of three. 

These twelve boys are the leading citizens, 
and the weight of their united influence gives a 
tone to the school which carries everything be- 
fore it. 

A shiftless, unfaithful boy soon feels so un- 
comfortable in the atmosphere in which he finds 
himself, that he is speedily forced to amend his 
ways. Or, being looked upon with unconcealed 
scorn by his companions, and only able to pay 
for the meanest comforts offered by the Re- 
public, he at last becomes sullen and discon- 
tented, and withdraws. As there have been but 
two such cases since the inception of the school, 
it will be seen that faithfulness and industry 
18 


274 


A Wee Lassie. 


have been characteristic of those seeking its 
opportunities and advantages. 

But to say that the past four years, which have 
been preeminently experimental ones, have been 
free from drawbacks and disappointments, 
would be going too far. Or to indicate that 
Glenn Hildegarde has been able to bring his 
little commonwealth up to his ideal, would also 
be a mistake. 

But in spite of the trials and difficulties that 
have met him he feels assured that the enterprise 
is a success, and he is therefore not only satisfied, 
but greatly encouraged. 

On this particular morning of which we now 
write, being the opening day of the fifth year 
of the “Linwood Miniature Republic,” there is 
much pleasant excitement among the citizens. 
The election of officers for the ensuing term of 
one year is the order of the day. Much can- 
vassing and electioneering for favorite candi- 
dates, all in good humor, has been going on. 
Nearly all of the original citizens, with which 
the Republic was inaugurated, are still present, 
and it is from among these that most of the 
candidates are drawn. 

A fine-looking youth of some nineteen years, 
whom one has to study intently before one recog- 
nizes, in his straight, active figure and open 


A Wee Lassie . 


275 


countenance, the slouching-shouldered, sullen- 
faced hoy whom the reader first met on the 
mountain side in the act of committing theft, 
and who was then known as “Crates,” but is 
now designated as “Citizen Welldon,” steps up 
to Principal Hildegarde with the question: 
“Who shall he the judges of the election?” 

Glenn quickly gives him the names of three 
citizens, whom he deems well fitted to fill this 
office, and the election proceeds. 

After the ballots are all in, and while the 
eager but quiet voters are waiting expectantly 
for the announcement of the result, Agnes with 
their eleven-months’-old boy — Hudson Hilde- 
garde — joins her husband. Her interest in the 
day’s proceedings is equal to his, and the citizens 
welcome her in their midst by various little acts 
of courtesy, thus showing their pleasure in her 
presence among them. 

The babe, who is a laughing, rollicking little 
fellow, smiles his approval on all that is going 
on, and this fact renders him very popular. 

In due time it is announced that Citizen 
Socrates Welldon has been elected president; 
Citizen James Allen, vice-president; Citizen 
Jacob Pidlev, supreme judge, and Citizen John 
Sykes and Abram Brown, associate justices. In 
this miniature Republic all these offices are filled 


276 


A Wee Lassie . 


by the votes of the citizens, rather than a portion 
of them, as in our larger Republic, by appoint- 
ments made by the president. 

On motion of the Principal the election is 
made unanimous, and then the enthusiasm of the 
youthful citizens breaks through all restraint. 
Cheers are given for each officer elected, the 
president, who is very popular, receiving three 
cheers and a tiger. 

And then, at a word from this high official, 
all the citizens gather in a mass in front of the 
Principal, who wonders what is coming. He is 
soon enlightened. 

The school has long been talking of getting 
up a “college yell,” but so far as the Principal 
knows, this has never been done. His ears are 
now made aware, however, that the “yell” is an 
accomplished fact by hearing one hundred and 
ten enthusiastic voices, in well-trained style get 
off the following : 

“Hear ye this — citizens all, 

Who do not care to get a fall : 

Up with the right, 

Down with the wrong ! 

Where right is might, 

The soul grows strong. 

And who are we ? Why, we are men 
Under the lead of Principal Glenn. 

We send each traitorous scamp afar 
Who is not true to the L. M. R.” 


A Wee Lassie . 


277 


And then, gathering fresh volume of sound, 
the citizens, in a wilder burst of enthusiasm 
than before — led by the president — roll out their 
crowning effort : 

“Hurrah ! hurrah ! for Hildegarde ; 

He is our friend, our chum, our pard. 

Rah ! — rah ! — rah ! — rah ! — rah ! — rah ! ” 

On the night following this full and interest- 
ing day, as Glenn seeks his couch, his heart whis- 
pers: “Thank God for wee Lassie. It was her 
words that ‘poor Crates needs help to be good* 
that first turned my mind toward this work. 
And so I can truthfully say that the Linwood 
Miniature Republic owes its origin to wee 
Lassie.” 

The further history of this unique institution 
in gathering in the neglected, the poor, the illit- 
erate and the depraved boys of Alabama — and 
neighboring States — and under God developing 
them into worthy men and citizens, and sending 
them out to bless the State and the world, some 
future historian must chronicle. 

Here the writer lays down her .pen, thanking 
the indulgent reader for having followed her 
simple story to its close. 























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